too much of a good thing?

i've been running all summer and into the fall. it feels great, i've grown to love the challenge and how it feels to see the neighborhood from a different perspective. i often use the time to listen to sermons and think about all sorts of things, even to pray on occasion. and i've felt myself getting stronger and feeling better. but i'm noticing a dark side to this that i didn't know i had...
i have noticed that the more i run, the further and longer i feel like i need to go to accomplish something. used to be a 3 mile run was way good, i was happy, and felt like i'd done something really cool. then 4 miles became a goal. then 5...which has been the threshold for awhile now. thing is, my body is starting to question my mind's obession. my knees hurt, my foot did for a while, and i can't seem to go far before my legs protest my efforts. but for some reason i push on and convince myself that it's good for me. hello, obsessive personality. yesterday was both a beautiful thing and scary one for me -- i ran from church, did a longer run than i planned, and ended up with a right knee that wouldn't bend like i wanted to the rest of the day. steps were NOT a good time...so my "i've got to go a little further" ended up being a "i've done something dumb and am now paying for it". hmmmm.....

isn't that what we do as people? it may not be exercise, it might one more drink. or one more website. or one more hour at work...we get obsessive about stuff that ends up being really harmful to us -- physically, spiritually, mentally, relationally. the one thing i never seem to get obsessive about is Jesus -- funny how i can't wait to go run or ride my bike, but cracking the Bible or praying isn't something that i think about until i get to do it. i wonder why...

think about the obsessions in your life -- how do they impact your family? you? relationship with God? pray for freedom -- funny how achy knees take the anticipation out of running tomorrow -- and pray for a new obession -- more of the Jesus.