Pursuing the Grind, Not the Glory
Hanging in my closet is a pegboard, loaded with running bibs and finishing medals from races I’ve completed (all of them 5k’s, because let’s face it, I’m far too lazy to run longer than 30-40 minutes). You’d never know by looking at it, but I hate running. I find it horribly boring and tiresome. I know, all you avid runners out there can go on and on about the sound of your shoes hitting the pavement, the freedom you feel when you hit the open road with the wind in your face, and the sense of accomplishment you have when you beat your personal best time. When I run, all I’m thinking about is getting myself back home to put an end to the burning in my legs and to shower the buckets of sweat off my body. That is literally what motivates me to finish. A shower. Also, when I run, even a short distance, my face turns BEET red. No big deal, except that redness, doesn’t dissipate for a solid two hours after I’ve completed my run. I look like Bob the Tomato, but far less adorable and without the Bible verse to remind me why my run was worth the struggle. But I think what I hate most about running, is being outside (gyms are closed and I can’t justify spending money on a home treadmill). I’m more what you’d call the “indoorsy” type. I enjoy dining on the patio on occasion and laying by the pool. and taking leisurely strolls through the neighborhood during mild weather. That’s pretty much the extent of my outdoorsy side.
So, why do I do it? Why do I get up two mornings a week and run? Because I need to incorporate cardio into my workout routine and for me, running is the most tolerable option. (Did I mention I also hate cardio?) But really, because we need to pursue the grind to get the glory. The grind is hard. The grind is in the discipline, the self-control, the inconvenience. For me, the grind is in that 6 am check-alarm, reminding me to start my day in the Word before the day’s distractions drag me away. It’s denying the urge to look at my phone and check-in with the world before I check in with God. For me, the grind is also prioritizing daily exercise, be it running, strength training, or yoga. It’s remembering I must care for the body God gave me so I have the strength, energy, and stamina to be the wife, the mom, the woman He’s called me to be. Sometimes the grind is getting me and my kids out the door to church, not just on time but with good attitudes. (Why does that always feel harder on a Sunday morning?!?) Sometimes the grind is in saying ‘no’ to an invitation or opportunity that’s offered the same night as our church small group. I don’t always feel like going to small group. On a Friday night, I’m often tempted to put on my pajamas and lounge in front of a movie over pursuing a fellowship. What does your grind look like? Maybe it’s in writing that monthly check to your church, or daily swallowing your pride to respect a supervisor at work. Whatever it is, keep pursuing it.
The grind is so daily, but it’s also so necessary. We can look to Jesus’ disciples as our example. It’s safe to say their lives were not easy. “They had more moments of grind than glory,” writes Michelle Meyers, author of Famous in Heaven and at Home. They were asked to give up a lot, everything really, to follow Jesus (Luke 5:11). Especially after Jesus left them to return to Heaven, the disciples’ daily grind became significantly harder. They were more than a little inconvenienced for the sake of sharing the gospel. They were persecuted, imprisoned, shipwrecked, and no doubt often tired, hungry, and weary of traveling. Paul could have been a poster child for “grind” all on his own, (read 2 Corinthians 11:16-30). They pursued the grind though, for one reason and one reason only, to see God glorified.
I want so much to grow closer to God. How can I do that if I’m not willing to pursue the grind? Those daily acts of discipline, self-restraint, and inconveniences have never once left me feeling like it just wasn’t worth it. I’ve never regretted choosing my time in the Bible over my sleep. I’ve never regretted choosing to exercise over watching tv (okay maybe sometimes if my muscles are so sore the next day that I can’t make it up the stairs without whimpering). I’ve never regretted showing up to our small group- it always ends up filling my cup to overflowing. And when I walk out of my church’s Sunday morning service, my grumpiness is gone and my ruffled feathers are smoothed out. I’m so glad I came. I feel closest to God when I’ve pursued the grind. That’s the reward. “If we’re honest, the glory is what we desire. We want that glimpse of God. We want to experience that nearness, closeness, and intimacy with Him. Those moments are real, and they’re amazing. But we must realize that we must endure a great deal of grind to position ourselves to catch a glimpse of His glory.” -Michelle Meyers
I grow weary of the grind sometimes, don’t you? It’s just so daily. Sometimes it’s hard to find the glory buried in the daily-ness of it all. God’s there with me though. He’s there with you. He’s in it, helping us wade our way through the weariness and lifting us back up when we choose ourselves over His glory as often as we do.
My husband took up running at the beginning of this year. He loves it. So much so that he’s set a goal to run a 10k by his 40th birthday this December. In a truly selfless act of love, I’ve committed to running it with him. My grind just got a lot harder. Prayers appreciated.