Last summer, our family uprooted from
California and moved to Denver.

In retrospect I was not fully prepared for
the transition. The energy required to settle into a new community, to help the kids adjust to new schools and friendships, to develop significant relationships in local church,combined with the professional demands of starting a new practice and providing administrative leadership to an academic program, pushed me to the limits of my physical and spiritual endurance.

Many days, I was totally exhausted,unable even to bring myself to check my voice mail or return another phone call. As the number of incoming messages exceeded my ability to keep up,much less to respond to them, unidentified e-mails were simply deleted, unopened. Letters and memos were often neglected for weeks at a time while waiting for that elusive hiatus when I could "get caught up," perhaps over a weekend, if I was not on call.

By the time I had covered all the bases with those who daily looked to me for leadership, assistance, support, or guidance, I had little energy left to focus on myself.

Through the fog of extreme weariness, I saw opportunities to make inroads into the lives of those who crossed my path in the neighborhood or at the work place.Yet, more often than not, I found myself too physically and emotionally spent to follow through on those who expressed spiritual interest.

Spiritually, I was running on empty.

About two-thirds of the way into the 26-mile Boston Marathon, participants encounter Heartbreak Hill,a long and tortuous climb through the streets of Newton, Massachusetts. At this point in the race, the best runners break away from the pack, while lesser athletes are tempted to give up.

Realizing that Heartbreak Hill is where the inner battle will occur, experienced competitors learn to prepare themselves mentally for this part of the race. The racers must run the first seventeen miles with this in mind To be a winner, a runner must know how to harness the kind of reserve mental energy needed, to parcel it out at critical junctures in the race,and to restore that inner source of power as it is depleted during the race.

The Christian life is more like a marathon than 100-yard dash. We must enter the race for the distance, not just for the easy part of the race. The wise spiritual athlete is one who knows how to look ahead,to anticipate the places where fatigue--the loss of spiritual passion--is likely to set in,and to pace himself accordingly so that he will not become disqualified.

What causes us to lose our vitality? When we do, how can we spiritually "refuel "ourselves?

As I considered what transpired during the move and after to make me "run on empty," I recognized several conditions that can make us run out of spiritual gas. As a physician, I have a drive that can cause problems for the distance run. This good quality can also cause problems. If I 'm not careful,I can lose my spiritual perspective.

I'm sure you have experienced this same lack of vitality in your busy life.

In the next issue of FireSeeds, I will address these concerns. Perhaps what God is teaching me will be use ful for you also.

Contact Dr. Chen at:  ychen@GoMETS.org.