Run your Run

One man fell into a pit and while he was down there several people come by and offered their opinions.

A Pharisee said, “You deserve to be in the pit”

A Catholic said, “You need to suffer while you’re in the pit”

A Baptist said, “If you’d been saved, you wouldn’t have fallen into the pit”

A charismatic said, “Just confess I’m not in the pit”

A mathematician said, “Let me calculate how you fell into the pit”

An Tax agent said, “Have you paid taxes on the pit”

An optimist said, “Things could be worse”

A pessimist said, “Things will get worse”

Everyone has an option. If you try to keep every person happy, the one person that will not be happy is you. Sometimes those who try to run your life and tell you what to do can’t even your run their own lives, much less yours.

One of the tests we have to pass in our life is when someone that we respect and look up to, may be our boss, a friend, a colleague or a relative, wants us to go one direction, when we know in our hearts that we should take another path. We don’t want to hurt their feelings, don’t want to lose their friendship and we want their approval. But if we are to fulfil our destinies, we have to be strong. We need to have an attitude – I am having an assignment, I have a purpose in life and I will be the one who God created me to be.

You have to be aware especially of high-maintenance people. These people are almost impossible to keep happy. You’ve got to call them on their schedule, keep them cheered up, and meet their demands. If not, they’re upset and disappointed. And they’ll do their best to make sure you feel guilty. They are almost always controllers. If you’re not careful they’ll squeeze you into their mold. They’re not interested in you. They’re interested in what you can do for them. If you fall into the trap of always trying to please them, you will wear yourself out and constantly be frustrated.

You may lose a few friends early on. People may not understand why you don’t take their advice. They may think you’re making a big mistake, but later they’ll see you walking in the fullness of your destiny.

In the Holy Bible we read about the son of King Saul, Jonathan. He was the best friend of David. According to the worldly view Jonathan should become the next king after Saul. Even Saul wanted that to be done. But Jonathan knew God had chosen David as the next King and he supported and protected David from his father (1 Samuel 20).

Gods favour on your life will increase if you quit worrying about what everyone thinks and do what God has put in your heart. Everyone has an option. People will tell you how to run your life. They’ll have opinions on what you should wear, what you should drive, how you should spend your money, and how you should raise your children. If you try to please everyone, you will be confused, you’ll be frustrated. Life will be miserable.

Everyone has a right to an opinion, and you have every right to not listen to it. If what others say doesn’t match what God has put in your heart, let it go in one ear and out the other.

It’s fine to listen to opinions. It’s great to receive advice, but you have to secure enough in who God made you to be so that when something doesn’t bear witness with your spirit, you’ll have a boldness that says, “thanks, but no thanks. I appreciate your advice; I value your opinion, but that not for me”

When I started running ultras, people who haven’t even run a 5km came and told me not to do ultras as it will affect my body. They knew they can’t do it and discouraged me also. But since I have learned martial arts in my youth and for the past 22 years I do those tough workouts, I knew my body and was confident in it. So in front of all those people I agreed to what they told, but I practiced on my long runs and workouts and did ultra.

If you’re going to do anything great in life – if you’re to be a great teacher, a great business person, a great athlete, a great parent, and a great winner – not everyone will cheer you on. Some won’t be able to handle your success. If you were where you were 10 years ago, they would have no problem with you. But as you succeed, as God pours out His favour, some will be jealous, some will find faults.

Don’t be surprised if a family member or a relative tries to discredit you, belittle you, or won’t give you the time of day, or maybe a friend you’ve been good to for years won’t understand you. If you start changing, being defensive, and think that you’ve got to prove to them that you’re really okay.  What you’re doing is letting them squeeze you into their mold.

Your destiny is too great to get distracted trying to win over people who are never going to like you. Don’t take it personally. It’s not about you. It’s about the favour God put on your life. It stirs up the jealousy in them. Until they deal with it, nothing you can do will change it. You might as well shake it off and run your race, because no matter how good you are to them they will still find fault. No matter how much you try to show them kindness, they will still find some reason to be critical.

The point is that no matter what you do, you will never please everybody. You may as well accept the fact that even when you do the best you can, some will find fault with you, and that’s okay. They have a right to have their opinions and you have a right to ignore them.

Having said all these, understand that you need to go according to the wish of God. How you can know the will of God? If you live according to the world, you are not going to hear the will of God, but you will hear what the world says. Most people spoil their life thinking they got the word from God as they live according to the world. Live holy lives, read and meditate upon the pure word of God from the Holy Bible, confess your sins and accept Christ as your saviour, as see how the Spirit of God guides and leads you towards your destiny. May God bless you!