EMPOWERING LIVES WITH PURPOSE:
Are you running your race well?
“Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”(Hebrews 12:1)
What kind of race do believers run? Who sets the race parameters? Is it a race we define and purpose for ourselves? I believe the scripture was written to encourage and challenge believers to persevere in their faith, especially in the midst of trials and persecution (2 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 10:36; 12:7).
Whether you have a calling of hidden significance or you’re in the public eye with influence, I would hope we all want to last long and finish strong in what we do. We want to run the race marked out before us with focus, passion, and conviction.
But we can’t keep ourselves on track by hanging on to our bootstraps or by any self-improvement method. Only the life of Jesus in us allows us to defy the gravity of our self-sins.
Only Jesus can keep us from tripping over ourselves and doing a permanent face-plant in the dirt. We may stumble a bit here and there, but we’re going to finish this race by the grace of God in Christ Jesus. He will keep us strong to the end as we trust in Him and guard our own hearts.
Seeing that the race God set out for us is a lifelong marathon, we must commit ourselves to running to the very end. A daily regimen of prayer, worship, reading God’s Word, and examining our lives for impediments will help. We will persevere. Run and do not give up short. You can do it with God’s leading.