I went running last week, the first in a month, and the strangest thing happened; my heart actually felt so strained and painful that I had to stop and walk.

After a few minutes, I picked up my pace and started a slow jog again. (No way I was going to step out of the house and break a sweat, only for it to turn into an afternoon stroll) But the pain was back in a matter of seconds.

I did this 3 times.

Eventually I was forced to conclude, in conjunction with observable evidence from my lack of exercise, that I need a bigger heart.

It’s alot like the heart that we’re so used to talking about in church isn’t it? How often do we find ourselves saying the prayer, “God, enlarge my heart”?

Well, what I’ve learnt from my failed attempt at running is this. God can surely increase the capacity of our hearts, but having a bigger heart comes from exercising love in every instance, no matter how small it may be.

Having a bigger heart could entail loving our neighbours, giving up that seat on the train, not being rude at home, praying a silent prayer for strangers we come across, having genuine concern about the lives of our workmates and so much more. We need to get these right before we even run after the grander ideas that we have for God.

Because more often than not, God grows us by the little things that He places along our way.

On a sidenote, I will run more often.

~ by lysaer on July 11, 2009.