I want to race with horses
Jeremiah 12:5 NIV reads, 鈥淚f you have raced with men on foot, and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan (River)? Here is what this means: If you can鈥檛 handle that, (men) how can you handle this (horses)? If you can鈥檛 handle yourself in an easy situation (safe country), what makes you think you can handle something harder (thickets)?
If you can鈥檛 handle normal and ordinary experiences, how can you be expected to cope with extraordinary circumstances? God won鈥檛 promote you, take you further, deeper, or to the next level, if you can鈥檛 handle 鈥渘ormalcy.鈥� How will you handle the abnormal? You will not be promoted in God鈥檚 kingdom past your point of failure!
Overcome this, and you can move on to that. How is it possible to endure the big things when the hot water tank goes, and it becomes the end of the world? Or someone raises their voice at you and you鈥檙e so offended you won鈥檛 go outside for a week? Or you get a cold and complain unmercifully betraying your actions if you had cancer.
What happens when you become 鈥渨orn out?鈥� All tired people become apathetic, or unconcerned when we get worn out. But this isn鈥檛 about the physical. The spiritual reality is one of weakness, being out of shape for the moment at hand. When we can鈥檛 even walk up the steps (spiritually speaking) without our breath being taken away, an honest evaluation of the (spiritual) shape we鈥檙e in needs done.
Do small troubles take the wind out of our sails? Do normal disagreements and conflicts of life have us gasping for air? Do we consistently make mountains out of molehills? Here are some notes for thinking people: Before you decide on a spouse, please look at how that person handles life鈥檚 ups and downs. If they can鈥檛 handle life as a single, maybe marriage with its resident difficulties isn鈥檛 for them, and you.
If you can鈥檛 get out of bed to get to work on time or are besieged by doing a few extra things at work, don鈥檛 expect to get the promotion. If you can鈥檛 run with the big dogs, stay on the porch. If you can鈥檛 be trusted in doing the little things, you won鈥檛 get the opportunity to do the big things, with commensurate reward. Matt 25:21
If you want to go to the next level in your spirituality, deeper, expansive, you must venture into harder territory. Who can race with horses? Those in shape, with endurance, willing to sweat, put out effort and pay a price for becoming better. Aggressive, forceful, determined people take Heaven by effort. Matt 11:12. By willpower, by prayer, by steadfast spirits, and in Jesus鈥� name.
The training may come about by prayer and fasting, forgiving those who are against you and seeking no ill will toward them, by the giving of your finances, sticking to Gods鈥� word even if it means being opposed, and refusing to sin no matter the social pressures. Safe country is normal living. It鈥檚 easy to get by in a supportive environment when everyone is on the same page, but when you stumble in safe country it鈥檚 obvious that you are careless in your walk/travels.
The thickets represent obstacles, and painful ones at that. Getting cut and wounded as you make your way through but persevering anyway. Your pursuit must be more thoughtful and the travel path more cautious. To make headway or forward momentum, requires much more skill, thought, and effort. Your actions become more intentional and purposeful.
Sometimes the people who complain they can鈥檛 go further just don鈥檛 want to, and use life as an excuse not to get deeper with God. Discouragement, and disappointment are all things we need to get past. We鈥檝e all been wounded. In relationships, work, loss, health, and we need to get through the thickets.
Now get up and walk. No! Get up and run. Horses present a big challenge, and are we ready to prove ourselves? I believe that we can race with horses and travel through the thickets with God鈥檚 help.