Praying for New Life

Today I had 3x2 mile intervals to do. I do these on a nice flat stretch along the river. So I got up early and as usual somehow it takes me 30-45 minutes to get ready and drive myself over there. I suppose I should accept I'm not exactly the 'get-up-and-go' type.

But I did get myself over there and it wasn't anywhere close as cold as it was last week, for which I was thankful. I did my warm-up, a few drills, and got started.

I finished the first rep in this neighborhood with a nice view of the river. And there I was, just standing there catching my breath and looking out over the Merrimack river. It was so still. And quiet. I can remember times when the water's been very choppy. Not today. Everything was still. No wind. I looked around, noticing the bare trees. So bare they look dead. I know they're not dead, but looking at them, you'd think they are, they look so grim and lifeless.

And as I looked at the trees, I thought about how they will be looking in a few more weeks, I wondered when I'll start seeing some green buds sprouting. I was amazed at the thought that there would be green sprouts. Looking at them now, you wouldn't think such a thing would happen. But I know it will. I know that given a few more weeks, the trees will look very different: fully of leaves, full of life. Not so much now, but it will happen.

It's not so easy to be confident that God can bring about such a miracle in us. When we look at our barren areas, our lifeless parts, it doesn't seem that God would be able to transform those, to bring life to them. Maybe it's because we interfere so much? Or because we try to take on the job ourselves? Or maybe we've grown too accustomed and comfortable with these areas of our lives--who knows what God would replace them with...

Lent is a season that leads into Easter, an opportunity to invite God to touch those areas within us that have grown lifeless and still, and, more importantly, to trust that God can actually do this and wants to help us do this. I know I'm already struggling with my Lenten commitment. But I do want to experience some new life at Easter. So I pray not just for help, but to let God help me and to trust that God will do so. And that somehow, come Easter, some surprising buds of new life will be visible.

What keeps you from trusting that God can bring new life within you?