The time is here

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3,4 NIV

In an article posted by Runner's World this week titled, "These 13 Running Myths Are Dated, Dangerous, and Slowing You Down," I was especially interested in reading what the writer had to say about one of the biggest myths I've encountered in my many years as a runner and running coach... running ruins your knees. The fact? Your knees get stronger. Running actually protects your knees against the development of osteoarthritis, with nonelite runners having about a third of the rate of knee osteoarthritis of sedentary individuals, says Willy. A 2017 review and meta-​analysis published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy found nonelite runners had just a 3.5 percent prevalence of hip or knee osteoarthritis compared to 10.2 percent of those in the sedentary, nonrunning control group. Willy says the more researchers learn about cartilage, the elastic tissue that protects our joints, the more those results make sense. “Cartilage is like any other living structure in that it gets stronger with continued loading,” says Willy. When you run, you stress the cartilage in your joints. Just like your muscles, that cartilage recovers and strengthens after a workout. Emerging research on metabolic health also reveals that the positive blood sugar and hormone changes that come with regular exercise may affect cartilage health for the better, too, says Willy.

And you know, when it comes to myths, Paul warned Timothy that there would come a day when people would “not put up with sound doctrine” but would “instead, to suit their own desires... gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” And that day when people will vehemently refuse to listen to the truths laid out in the Bible is here my friend. People don’t want to hear any words that might convict them of their sin, only the ones that will make them comfortable in their sin—choosing to embrace widely held but false beliefs and ideas that align with the immoral lifestyle they want to live.

So knowing that more and more people in the coming days are going to be opposed to what the Bible says is right and wrong, determine to take a stand now before the coming persecution. Preach “sound doctrine” no matter the consequences and refuse to compromise in the least to soothe even the smallest itch. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for telling us what we can expect as the end days draw near. Help us use this knowledge to be ready for the battles that will face us as we stand firm in the faith and refuse to water down the Gospel. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!