There’s a big difference between running a 100 yard dash and running a marathon. The dash takes all you have for a moment. The marathon takes all you have for 26 miles. The dash is intense. The marathon is methodical. The Christian life is not a dash. The Christian life is a marathon.
In over 28 years of pastoral ministry, I have watched some people run impressively hard but not finish the race. In many of these cases, their confidence was in their sense of connection to God or their understanding of God’s work. Don’t get me wrong — feeling connected to God and having some theological understanding are very important. Yet, there will be times when you can’t understand why things are happening and you won’t feel connected to God. If your confidence is always in your feelings and understanding, then it will be hard to go the distance when you’re confused and feeling alone.
Hebrews 10:35-36 tell us, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”
How true! We have need of endurance, that is, endurance to keep on believing in what God has done and will do. You may be discouraged right now. Your heart may break for the situation of someone you love. Your heart may be broken over your own sin. Whatever you’re dealing with — don’t give up. Don’t give in to your feelings. Don’t be overwhelmed by your lack of understanding. Instead, do exactly what the author of Hebrews tells you to do…
Hebrews 12:1b-2a ~ “…run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”
Keep your eyes on the Lord. Recall the words of the hymn “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Christian, keep running. With your eyes upon the Lord, run. Don’t look back, but look ahead and run. Don’t trust your thoughts and feelings. In the words of the Apostle Paul, run in such a way that you may win the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24). Keep running until you finish the race in the eternal Kingdom of God.
God before government,
Rit