A Simple Word

When our running coach placed three cones at various intervals on a very steep hill I knew from the prevailing groan of my running group that all of us were in for a torrid morning of training. My thoughts quickly turned into reality as the group endured a series of sprints up the hill – each sprint covering varying distances according to the placement of the cones.

Although 5.30 am, it was still quite hot – well, if you are running up a hill numerous times I suppose it would be hot but the sweat flowed freely as did the heavy breathing of my companions in pain.

I looked at my watch – huge mistake – as I realized we were only halfway through the session. Each sprint up the hill seems like the hill was both growing miraculously in length and gradient.

Then something happened that took me by surprise – it was not that everyone was not both friendly and encouraging because the group is like that. However each of us was working so hard up this hill people around us seemed a blur, all of us struggling to run as fast as possible to the top of the hill and get sufficient breath back on the return down the hill to do it again.

As I ran up the hill with one of my fellow ‘inductees onto the hill of pain’, she said to me ‘Well done – that was a great run!’ That one comment really made a difference to me.

In the midst of this woman’s pain going up the hill she encouraged me. I suddenly felt stronger, I wanted to try harder, my legs felt a little better and once again I realized the power of encouragement.

I must admit in the midst of my pain I am often too self absorbed to see anyone else in any form of pain. Yet someone did and I was the recipient. It is somewhat easy, I think, to encourage when all is well in your life but to encourage when you yourself are walking through the valleys is quite another thing.

Yet the power of it is priceless. Sometimes out of the pain we speak words of pain and hurt yet the truly gracious among us still speak words of life and encouragement in the midst of their pain. That is I suspect the truest test of inner selflessness and great character. That encouragement made my day!