Running faster than average people has been a normal thing to me. Running longer than average people, has also been a norm. All these norm, unsurprisingly, has been taken for granted.
A massive blow to my ego was dealt after the 3.5km run this evening. That wasn’t the first time I’ve ran. The first time I did it, as far as I remember, I did it with more humility than pride. Yes, pride, surely it was involved. After the run, ego was the only thing I noticed. A damaged, if not, shattered, ego.
After some training, I’d expected myself to have improved. Self runs, strength training, endurance run.. All these I’ve done. Yet, today, my timing was 30 seconds slower. And throughout the run, I thought I was running fine. I thought that I’d definitely do better than the previous run. But now I know, I thought wrong
There were many reasons for the slower timing. Ranging from the things I ate 1 hour before run(a Snickers bar), lack of warm up, lack of stretching and wasn’t mentally prepared. All these reasons, paradoxically, were not the reasons. The reason, was the insidious ego and pride that start growing every time I run faster than people, their lack of endurance/speed and the things they say after the run, fed my ego and made it fat and bloated.
Just as quoted from Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”. Whatever happened to me, is probably God’s Will. Not that He doesn’t want me to run fast or good, just that He doesn’t want a prideful servant to do things for himself. Until I learn how to be humble and God-pleasing, God will not give me success.
Whoever is reading this and happen to have endured throughout, I just hope that you can pray for me as well. 
For a humble heart and mind. To stand in favor with God and men.
