Take a lesson from runners and Scripture — the second wind
The calendar date of the bedowns, cancellations and cloWhat we need for 2020 is a rejoice and be glad in it.” The fact ginning of summer is in June, but sures that have made it difficult second wind. This July is bigger that you made it to that day is the serious business of summer to look forward to the rest of this than the beginning of serious reason to celebrate every day. As starts in July. Backyard barbecues year. All of the difficulties that summer activities; it’s the beginchallenging as the first half of filling neighborhoods with the we are dealing with have put a ning of the second half of this this year has been, we can celesmell of meat on the damper on our summer year, the month we push through brate because we made it grill. City parks taken plans and celebrations. our frustrations to get our second through. over by bands and their The best way to dewind. This year is not over; we We also get our second wind fans sending up the scribe the overall feeling just need a second wind. by seizing every day. Make up sounds of music that of our day is exhaustion. Isaiah 40:31 describes the your mind to put your whole self makes you want to Exhausted by an overall second wind: “They that wait into every new day. Not bringing move. Beach trips, famsense of loss. Exhausted upon the Lord shall renew their your full self to every day will ily getaways, crab eatby disruptive schedules. strength.” The Message Bible drain you of the power of that ing, oyster shucking, Exhausted by uncertaindescribes it as fresh strength. We day. The failures of your past can fish frying, watermelon ties. Exhaustion from need strength to renew our distract you from the potential of slicing, fireworks — the the images of hatred minds, strength to renew our today. Paul says in Philippians list goes on. Truly, sumand racial tension that hopes, strength to renew our 3:13 to forget the past and look mer starts in July. surround us. imaginations. forward to what lies ahead. You
July also begins the second The physical, financial, emoWe get our second wind for can learn from the past but you half of the year, and what a year tional and spiritual drain we are this year by celebrating every day can’t live in the past. As well, the this has been. The first half of all experiencing is best described we are able to see. When you fear of the future will drain you 2020 — “unprecedented” is an by what distance runners feel celebrate every day, you intenof the power of your today. You understatement. From the tragic just before they get their second tionally focus not on the probcannot allow any “what if” to be death of sports icon Kobe Bryant wind: hitting the wall. When lems of the day but on the proggreater than your “what now.” It that triggered a wave of grief everything inside them tells them ress that each day represents. is not the failures of the past, nor across the world, to the to quit, they push through to get Despite all the problems that the fear of the future, but rather COVID-19 pandemic that has their second wind. That second surround us, we can always find your faith for today that gives affected the way we live worldwind lets the runner find reasons to celebrate. Psalms you fresh power and fuels every day.wide,2020hasbeendominatedstrengthtokeeprunningattop118:24says,“Thisisthedaythat
by fears and frustrations, shut- performance with less exertion. the Lord has made, we shall We can get our second wind by setting high expectations for each day. This year has been filled with shutdowns and cancellations — businesses, how we travel, schools, entertainment, sports. Yet we can never allow the dreams, hopes and expectations within us to be shut down. In every area of shutdowns we have seen that the ones who could sustain themselves have been the ones who are the most creative. They got their second wind by making the best of every situation they faced. With high expectations they created something new to meet the need of that moment.
Keep your dreams alive. Keep your expectations high. Be creative and enjoy your second wind.
Let July be the month that we get our second wind so we can finish 2020 strong.
The Rev. Jerome Barber is pastor of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Temple in Hampton. He can be reached at jeromeb@smzbt.org.