Derailments such as pain and injuries can be super frustrating- they can make you want to give up, they can turn you into a negative person, or they can brain wash you to keep pushing through even though your body is saying no. Right now I am experiencing really tight calves and lower back pain from biking and shin pain from swimming! I would have never thought swimming could cause something like that. As you can imagine these injuries do not sit well with running either so I have really had to cut back as to avoid aggravating it more.
I was really mad about this because I want to make the A team for my Triathlon club- but I can't do that when I can't train. I started to ask God, "Why did you make me good at something just to take it away? Why do I always get injured?" My answer came in church yesterday....
My pastor told me that God makes us good at things so we can represent Him in an area that He needs us. To be there for other people and to serve them in times of need and praise them in times of success. He said that in sports, its not always about going hard and winning but rather the journey and how you react to each and every situation. How you react whether its a win, a failure, or an injury impacts those around you.
I thought this was interesting because it made me realize that if I think in this way, it takes out the selfishness and self pity and replaces it with a team and God oriented mindset. Check out this website for similar views.
http://tasteheavennow.net/Heart_Training_tools_for_change/h-t_in_sports.htm
