In marathon running, "hitting the wall" is when your body suddenly runs out of energy, leaving you fatigued and struggling to keep moving. I had never experienced this until two weeks ago, and I learned just how tough it can be. We had a busy week, and by Friday, I had skipped lunch and missed out on carbs at dinner. Not ideal for a long run, but Saturday morning came, and I hit the road for my 13-mile run. I had my usual pre-run breakfast and packed my trusty fruit snacks for on the road fuel.
One mile in, I saw my mom on her morning walk and told her the run already felt rough. Somehow, I settled into a rhythm, and by mile 8, I was averaging my usual pace. But then came mile 9, and suddenly, I had no energy left. Each step became harder than the last, and with each mile, my pace slowed by another 30 seconds. By mile 11, I knew I couldn’t push anymore. I had to stop—otherwise, I was going to pass out.
What struck me was how much this felt like life sometimes. In life, we can also hit a wall, filling our days with busyness but missing the “fuel” our souls need. Jesus reminds us, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4, NIV). Just like the carbs I needed for my run, we need spiritual food that will carry us through the whole day.
Spending time with God through morning devotions and afternoon "snacks," prayer, reading the Bible, going to church, and being with others who love Jesus helps fuel us for life's long journey.
How is your fuel gauge looking this week?
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