Fear and anxiety creep into the hearts of many like a snake sneaks upon its prey, ready to strike and consume it. However, anyone who surrenders their life to Christ serves a big God, a God that is bigger than our emotions, giving us not “…a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT). My mom reminded me of this verse when I was battling some uncomfortable fear and angst this past week.
What’s up with “acidosis”?
Monday morning, I awoke with butterflies in my stomach. The previous Thursday, my track coach announced that we would begin doing a difficult running drill weekly, starting that day. In this drill, we would sprint a total of 800 meters or 1/2 of a mile, but the meters would be separated into shorter sprints broken up by very brief rests. The point of this weekly exercise was to expose our bodies to “acidosis” and learn how to cope with it. According to my coach, acidosis is a process your body will experience when you’re racing in the 400 meter dash or farther, although I don’t know the specifics of it. Also, sprinting that distance makes your legs burn and your heartrate greatly increase. You must train yourself to relax and continue sprinting with proper form during the run.
God Cared For Me
After struggling through the drill that day, I began fearing the next Thursday, even though a week still remained before it. Thankfully, my mom’s comfort helped soothe my nerves. Although I could quit this pre-track season camp only 2 weeks before it ended, I attended the Tuesday practice, actually really enjoying it despite my anxiety. Two days later, Thursday arrived. As I hopped in the car for the ride there, the butterflies returned, but God was with me the whole time. Ironically, a song on the radio started singing that God goes before and behind me, as well as beside me (Chris Tomlin, Whom Shall I Fear). The song was inspired after 2 Kings 6:15-18 as learned HERE, but I think it also reflects Psalm 139:5 (ESV), “You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.” After taking the lyrics to heart, a delighted smile rolled onto my face.
Then, I asked my mom to pray for me aloud. The Holy Spirit not only listened to her prayer, but used it to give me courage. As Psalm 23:4 (ESV) proclaims, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Although this was a physical difficulty, God still cared for me.
In His Hands
Alrighty! It was time for practice. I had prayed. Now, I needed simply to trust my heavenly Father and complete the nerve-racking drill, taking one step at a time through the process. First, the sprinters warmed up themselves. Next, we practiced acceleration. Finally, we sprinted the 800 meters. No, it didn’t get any easier, but it was worth it. God got me through it! Although the nerves may stick around, I won’t fear this sprinting drill anymore because I know that Jesus, my Lord and Savior, holds me in His hands.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
~Romans 8:35-39 ESV~
