Don't lean on your own understanding

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;" Proverbs 3:5 NIV

In an article published by Runner's World Wednesday, it was said, "A new study suggests adjusting how much you lean forward may be key to your stride." The article went on to say, "If you’re starting to see overuse injuries like knee issues or ankle pain flare up while running, that could be a wake-up call to adjust your body mechanics—and that doesn’t mean only your foot strike and stride length. According to a new study in the journal Human Movement Science, your angle of forward lean when running could be a major factor for performance as well. Researchers recruited 23 young runners between the ages of 18 and 23 and had them do three running trials with different trunk positions: a 10-, 20-, and 30-degree angle of flexion. They found that the more a runner leaned forward, the bigger impact it had on stride length, ground reaction, and joint movement." Why does that matter? Because over time, those could add up as factors for injury, according to lead author Anna Warrener, Ph.D., assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Colorado Denver. And we all know that runners hate injury right?

And you know, when it comes to leaning, the Bible is very clear that you and I are not to lean on our own understanding but to trust in the Lord with all our hearts. Why? Because our ability to understand or comprehend the ways in which we should walk, talk, think, feel, and act are limited by our human knowledge--and if we lean on that knowledge and not God's, we will inevitably end up falling into sin and getting injured. You see, it's only when you and I trust the Lord with all that we have and with all that we are that we will allow Him to lead us and guide us in the paths of righteousness; something that requires us to surrender our understanding of things and to give Him complete control of our lives. 

So in the words of Corrie Ten Boom, "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." Lean into Him and allow Him to lead you today and every day hereafter. It will be the best decision you will ever make and will keep you on the right path and free from injury. And doesn't every runner want that?  

Heavenly Father, thank You for being a faithful God that can always be trusted. Cause us to understand that Your ways are always better than ours Lord and cause us to trust You so completely that we would look to You for understanding and guidance rather than ourselves. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!