Isaiah 40:29-31

Well, I made it through an agility session, a 2 hour practice, and post-practice sprints today. Not gonna lie, it was a long and hard morning. I wanted to give up during the final sprints because I was getting really light headed and feeling miserable and all I wanted to do was quit. However, in between gasping for air and trying not to pass out, the words of Isaiah came winding through my head. In chapter 40, verses 29-31, he writes (the Message Version):

He (God) energizes those who get tired,
   gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
   young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
   They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don't get tired,
   they walk and don't lag behind.

I thought, "How appropriate is this verse to what I'm going through right now?" I will run and not grow weary. My strength will be renewed. I will not be faint. THAT IS SO COOL. I know a lot of times, especially when we feel weak or we feel tired, it's hard to take God at His word. We stand up and feel faint, and we think "how am I supposed to walk and not be faint?" But we have to keep going in faith, knowing that God will renew us, that our hope is in Him and in the grace that He gives us. But I think the most important part of the passage is lost when you fail to realize the context of the words. In the previous verses, Isaiah writes (The Message Version):

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
   or, whine, Israel, saying,
"God has lost track of me.
   He doesn't care what happens to me"?
Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening?
God doesn't come and go. God lasts.
   He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
   And he knows everything, inside and out.

How many times do we act like Israel when we're having  a bad POTS days? "God doesn't care, God doesn't have a reason for this, God apparently has more important things to do today than care about the fact that I'm hurting, etc, etc, etc" and we complain. Woe is me. My life sucks. This is hard to deal with. Isaiah says straight up that we need to stop. I feel like I can hear him give an exasperated sigh as he reprimands Israel (and us) "Come on, guys! What are you doing? Haven't you heard a single word I've said?!" You see God knows what we're going through. He hears us. And we can make it through this because He gives us strength, because He energizes us. Remember that the next time you want to quit. Or whine.

By the way, I finished those sprints. GET SOME!!!

My name is Amy Swearer, and POTS stole my life. I'm taking it back.