The Race that Counts

This entry is some of my own thoughts as well as some of the things I heard in a church message this past Sunday. The pastor was in Hebrews 12:1-2 which says, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
One of the first things the Pastor asked was, “Have you ever had one of those days where you just want to give up?” I wanted to just laugh and cry at the same time—it seems like lately I have had that kind of day everyday! He then explained that the race we are in takes self-denial, discipline, effort, and commitment. I will be the first to stand up and say I need to work on all of those things; however, I was especially struck by “effort.” How much effort do I really put into doing my devotions? How much effort do I put in to reaching out to others? Most of the time I just wait around for God to throw an opportunity in my face, rather than taking the effort and initiative to go out and do something for Him. I was also challenged thinking about the different kind of runners there are in this race Hebrews is talking about. There are those who start off really strong and fast but then get worn out and sidelined, those who get discouraged half-way through and just kind of stop and stand on the sidelines, those who never really took the race seriously to begin with and just stroll through, and then those who run the way we ought to as Christians. I didn’t even want to think about which one I might be because of what answer I might get. Further on in the passage, when it says to lay aside the sin that easily ensnares us, it is referring to doubt. I think in all honesty, doubt is most definitely the thing that cripples me most in my spiritual life. I need to lay that doubt aside and press on in the race that has been set before me. The Christian race is a marathon, not a sprint! There will be points when you will get cramps, or trip and fall, or feel like you can't go another mile...but that is when God gives you your "second wind" and third, and fourth!!!
Keep running the marathon! The end is near!