Run Focused: Healthy releasing of the emotions

I have a love/hate relationship with running.  I really don’t like to run, but I love the benefit I get from running.  So, when I start off each run, I’m pretty angry because it isn’t what I want to be doing.

However, the reason why I primarily  run angry because when I run, I process and when I process, it gets messy.  Weird probably, but by messy I mean that I process my ministry, my friendships, my parenting, and all things in between.  And, for me, all those things have never been as easy as sitting on my couch eating bon bons…it’s a little messy.  That is why when I run, it often turns angry real quick.

But here is the deal with running angry.  Running angry causes me to Run Focused.  It focuses me on the Lord.  I know, sounds kind of weird, but when I run it is a chance for me to put on some music, scream out (in my mind) and talk to God about all that is going on.  Again, my life is messy but running…

1. lets me vent, get the emotions out (so I don’t go out and blast them onto someone else).  So, to start the run out, I have some secular, angry music (not Megadeath angry) but angry music.  It allows me scream it out and get my frustrations out.  But as I get mad, it settles me a little.  For me it’s a healthy processing that I do and it all starts with the music selection.
2. causes me to seek God for answers (Why is this happening? What is He trying to show me?).  Psalm 55:16 says, “But I call to God, and the Lord will save me.”  When I’m running, I call to God and seek His answers…not always immediately but the more I call to him and listen, the more I hear his answers.
3. allows God to minister to me.  Even though I start running with harder, angry music, I always end my runs with Christian music that focuses me on the Lord and his calling on my life. That is where I can end the run with a healthy, more positive attitude rather than the angry start I usually have.

So, when I run, I am angry, I am sad, I am crying, and I am motivated.  But most of all, I Run Focused.  Running focuses me on the Lord and focuses me how HE, not me or anything/anyone else will get me through it.

So whether you need to Run Focused or Lift Focused or even Drive Focused, I want to encourage you all to TAKE A MINUTE and figure out how you are going to get out and in very healthy ways, vent to the Lord.  Put your life, your ministry, your relationships, your crap before the Lord and lay it out…process it out with him so that you aren’t taking it out on someone or something else that could have some pretty damaging consequences.

What do you think? How do you, in a healthy way, release emotions? Share your thoughts below or on social media using #ymsidekick when you share.