Back Stabbed

Have you ever felt taken advantage of or stabbed in the back by someone you cared about? Maybe you felt over looked by a boss in a promotion that was promised to you. Here's a even tougher question for you to process. Would you start that relationship or take that job if you knew what you know now? If you are really honest the answer is a no.

The author Matthew writes in his book so creatively named Matthew in chapter 26 verse 20 "Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.  As they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” " This was said hours before Jesus was arrested then beaten and killed. In fact all of Jesus' closest friends denied that they knew him. They were no where to be found when he was on trial or hung on the cross. One might say that was the biggest back stab ever. The truly mind blowing thing about Jesus' was not his friends not being around when he needed them the most, it was that Jesus died on the cross for them still. I've never read where Jesus loves everyone but Peter, James, John or his other friends that left him. 

Maybe we could learn to forgive like that. That is way easier to type truly hard to live out. I know we all have our reasons why we don't talk to that person or why we don't go down that hallway at the office. We can justify just about anything but that is not love. To forgive is love. To give second, third, forth, fifth chances. We were not created to hold onto bitterness. It's poison to our minds. We begin to hate. We become miserable to be around ourselves and others. We were created to let go of past hurts, past back stabs. Take a lesson from Jesus. Always no matter what happens to you or said about you, forgive and love instead of holding on to pain and hating people. It's truly freeing. 





Remember why you started?

Who in their right mind is willing to pay over three hundred dollars and spend thousands of hours hurting their bodies to finish what they started? Those who are willing to do Ironman races is who. I have done six Ironman 70.3 over the last 2 years. For me to finish those Ironman I had to train at least 3 hours 6 days a week to finish better then my last race. I can't remember one of those races where I didn't want to quite. One race I found myself puking during the swim portion of the race. Trust me that was no fun. I totally wanted to quit but I didn't.

Ironman Kansas City 2014. I finished 2014 in the top 10% of my age group.


It's ok to want to quit. Jesus wanted to quit before he finished his purpose. Look at what the author Matthew wrote in the book of Matthew chapter 26  "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Those are Jesus' word sound a lot like someone that wants to quit but he goes on to say your will be done not mine. See its ok to want to quit but don't. Quitting lasts forever the pain that you are going through will be gone at some point. So keep going. You know the results of quitting.

Here is the trick I think, when we get to that point in life where we want to quit on our marriages, jobs, family and working out  is to remember why you started. What was it about that person you fell in love with or why did you sign up for that race. See passion gets us started but discipline keeps us going. Most of us are really good at starting things but lack the discipline to tell ourselves to keep going for it. 

How to finish:

Write down why you started. Why did change jobs? Was if to spend more time with your family? Why did you want to get into shape? Was it to live longer so you could see your grandkids? Why did you go back to school? Was it to get a better paying job so you can travel?

What ever the reason is when you want to quit think about why you started and if the reason is still better then the reason why you want to give up then keep going. Finish what you started. More people started in every race I have been in then finished because it's so easy to quit.