What I learned from the tough mudder?

This past Saturday a group of friends and myself embarked on an almost 13 mile journey through, over, and under some very difficult obstacles.  I am not a runner so 13 miles is a daunting task by itself.  When you add the obstacles into the equation it’s a whole new story.  I have done some little 5k obstacle races but these obstacles were seriously no joke. But we persevered and finished the race and I have the shirt and headband to prove it.  Here are few things I learned along the way.

1.     You can’t do it alone

There is no way for you to be able to complete the tough mudder on your own.  It’s designed in such a way that you need a team. 

 The same is true for our Christian life.  We are not supposed to be alone we are supposed to work together, to be one body, to be one team.  We weren’t designed to go through this life alone.  We need each other.

2.     You’re tougher then you think

There were many times I would look at an obstacle and think there is no way this is going to happen, and to be honest I struggled with a few of them.  But when you get up dust yourself off and your team is cheering you on you will be surprised what you can accomplish.

Look life is tough sometimes and just because you are a Christian it doesn’t mean that everything is going to be easy but don’t quit.  I have had to many conversations with Christians who have just quit on what God has called them to do.  Or stopped going to church because someone offended them, you’re tougher than that.  Don’t withdraw, don’t quit you’re tougher than you think.

3.     Your mind can be your worst enemy

One of the obstacles you have to crawl through this dark tunnel where there is water on the grown and cords hanging from the top that shock you when you touch it.  Hearing the screams and feeling the first shock, my mind began to race about how this was a very bad idea.  Now would the shock kill me? No.  Would it hurt?  Yes.  But I wasn’t going to die just go through a little pain.  Once I got my thoughts under control I was ok.

So many times we make things bigger in our heads then they are in real life.  The more you think about it the bigger it gets and the more impossible it seems to get past.  If there is something on your mind that is causing fear or anxiety, that is paralyzing you, get your mind in check then meet that fear head on.  What’s the worst that can happen?  Fear stops you in your tracks and nothing gets accomplished.  Friends God has a job for you to do and we can’t let fear stop us from living out what God has placed in our hearts.

4.     When you think you’re done you have more left.

The 2^nd to last obstacle was something called Everest.  It was a big half pipe you had to sprint up then jump and hope to grab the edge or hope your team grabs your arms.  By the time Everest came I was wore out.  My calves started to cramp up somewhere between mile 6 & 7 and now after almost 13 miles I had to sprint and jump?  My first attempt was not successful, I ran with everything I had jumped my hands hit the wood but I couldn’t grip on and my team couldn’t grab my arms and I slid down.  I walked back to the starting point gathered myself then ran again this time when I jumped my team grabbed my arms.  I started trying to pull myself up and my team was pulling me but I kept slipping.  Remember we are wet, muddy, sweaty and I weigh over 250 pounds not a great combination.  I would lift my leg up and my team would grab it but then they would slip off because I was so muddy.  I was hanging there for what seemed like eternity, my calves were screaming, my arms were burning, and my abs felt like there were getting ripped out of place.  I looked up and said “I don’t have anything left just let me fall.”  My team looked at me and said your not falling we have you and were not letting go.  I honestly get a little teary eyed writing it now.  So I lifted up one last time, the locked on and together we got over Everest.

I don’t know what your Everest is but I want you to know that you have a heavenly father that is locked on and when you feel like you have nothing left he looks you in the eyes and says I’m not letting go.  Do not quit!  He has you, and together you will conquer your Everest.