I hate running. Absolutely hate it. But over the summer something possessed me to start running towards a goal of a 5K. I started gradually with only a little bit of running broken up by lots of walking. I didn't think it was possible but I eventually worked my way up to a couple of miles. Faith is just like running a race. God has called each of us to different races. And races are hard.
Typically races need a lot of preparation and hard work. They aren't necessarily fun in the moment, but once they are finished, they offer a great feeling of accomplishment.
And I've noticed we generally enter races in something we are not good at. For me, that was running. For some, it could be swimming. And for others, it's finding a new challenge through an Iron Man. We enter races in the things we need so we have motivation to reach our goal. What a great principle to apply to our faith! Maybe God is calling you to run a race in an area you feel you are floundering. For me last year, this was prayer. I felt like my prayer life was not what it should be, and by running the race, I got the support and encouragement I needed.
Sometimes running races can be tough. Well, there is always a hurdle to overcome at some point in the race. In my 5K goal, I got to 2 miles, felt really accomplished, school started, and now running has become a thing of the past. Often times, what pushes us towards starting a race is a God moment. Some of you may have experienced that at Fall Conference. But sometimes that one God moment is not enough to get you through a long race. So how do we turn a God moment into a God movement?
There are lot of ways this can happen, but where I see it happen the most is through relationships with friends; talking to each other and holding each other accountable.
Races are long and difficult and there always seems to be a new race and challenge inviting you after the last. Some of you are in the place feeling weary and exhausted after running so hard for so long. It is good to take a break and rest. Give yourself some time to be filled with Gods presence so you have the energy to run the next race. Spend time in worship, in prayer, spend quiet time in the Word. Let yourself rest, but then accept the challenge of the next race you are invited to and start running.
And some of you haven't started running Gods race yet. You have picked races for yourself but they have never been completely fulfilling. Jesus has an invitation to step into something better; to step into the race he has planned out for you. I speak from experience when I say God desires the best for us. I don't want any of us to regret not accepting the invitation and running in the race he has chosen for us.
So, what race are you running? Has God given you a different race to run? How are you going to get through these long races?
Share here, but also talk to your bible study leaders. They would love to partner alongside you!
