Structure & Training

As I was walking home from working at the diner last night I realized something.  For the most part I really dislike structure, it tends to drive me nuts.  Yet it struck me that I really kind of need it.  For as much as it drives me nuts that I have a job that requires me to be at a certain place at a certain time with no negotiation, I also recognize that it's good because it forces me to interact with people on a regular basis.

I find it similarly challenging when it comes to my running.  I'm training to run a marathon in a couple of weeks.  I think the greatest challenge of it is the mental aspect.  To be successful I need to follow a training program, I need to run certain distances on certain days.  Some days I just don't feel like running and without a training partner I often don't run on those days.  Unfortunately you can't totally make up for those lost days, what you really need is a consistent, daily training.

I have found that translating into my faith life as well.  The biggest challenge in my independent study this summer has been reading "The Purpose Driven Life."  A lot of my seminary friends would understand that it's because of the theology presented.  I can get past that to find a nugget in nearly every entry.  The challenge has been that the book is designed to be read every day.  There are some days I just don't feel like it, so I haven't.  The problem is you can't really make up for those lost days.  Devotions are not only about what you gain from them but they're about a relationship, your relationship with God.  It takes a daily commitment to strengthen that relationship, perhaps that's why Paul made several training analogies in his writings.  That kind of discipline, that kind of structure, absolutely drives me nuts but I realize I need it.