When to Run

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Friday, April 18, 2008

"Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Follow anything that makes you want to do right. . . ." —2 Timothy 2:22

Some years ago, there was a story in the news about a man who had a tree fall on his leg. With no one around to come to his rescue, he took out a pocketknife and proceeded to amputate his leg. Then he made his way up the road until someone picked him up and raced him to help. Amazingly, this man who had a severed leg still had enough presence of mind to tell the driver of the vehicle not to go too fast. He said, "I didn't come this far to die on the road. Take it easy."

I remember reading that story and thinking, "He did what? How could this guy cut off his leg? I would have laid under the tree and just waited for help." But the doctors who treated him later said that if he wouldn't have taken such a drastic measure, he would have died. He did it to save his life.

Sometimes we must take radical, drastic steps to remove ourselves from whatever it is that is hurting us spiritually. That may mean immediate change. It may mean physically getting up and saying, "I'm out of here."

You might be at that party. Watching that movie. In that relationship. In that car. Wherever it is, you realize you shouldn't be there. God is convicting you. He is saying, "What are you doing here?" Don't be foolish. Just get up and go. That's not always possible, but many times it is.

Is there a relationship or a situation in which you don't belong? Has God been speaking to you about it? You'll be glad you took the time to listen.

Used with Permission