Experiential Lessons

“Don’t expect anyone else to fully understand both the bitterness and the joys of all you experience in your life.” (Proverbs 14:10 TPT)

My husband and I were out on a long, training run on a rainy day. We kept hoping the rain would let up, but it kept pouring down for hours. I was cold, wet, and miserable. My hair, clothes, and shoes were soaked.  I was glad when we were finished with our scheduled mileage. I came home, showered, and put on dry clothes. My mood shifted. I was able to look back on the experience and glean some valuable lessons: Running in wet clothes and shoes feels yucky, but it is doable. Actually, it is easier on  the body than running in high heat and humidity.  In the middle of a long run, when you feel like walking--a slow jog is better. Walking feels discouraging. Having even one other person with you helps you deal with self-doubt. Running in pouring rain by yourself feels crazy. But when you have another person with you, it feels adventurous. 

Unless you have run in the midst of heavy rain, some of my experiential lessons may seem nonsensical to you. The only person who may understand some of the bitterness and the joy of that adventure is my husband, who ran with me that day. Yet, even he might have a slightly different take on that experience than I did, since our personalities are not the same.

We all desire to share our experiences and emotions so that we may be understood and accepted. This is part of human nature; this is why we crave connection. But there is a built-in vulnerability in our design that prevents us from fully knowing each other. This void is not an accidental flaw; it was planned by the Creator for a purpose. We are meant to contact the Manufacturer regularly. God wants us to share both the bitterness and the joys of all our experiences with Him, to commune with Him, and to be fulfilled in Him.