Lessons from Running

I was running in a 5k at a family camp in the summer. I had only run larger established races where I had no chance of winning for my age category. I was excited to see what place I would get in a smaller race. My husband and I were at the starting line. I was nervous about how I would perform for some reason.

The race was off, and my husband was already much faster than I. We split up right near the beginning. I saw some girls run past me, and I was discouraged that I would not win the race. I ran as fast as I was able, pushing myself as hard as I could. I was down on myself throughout the race about how I couldn’t run fast and I was all alone. I finished the race and realized I had run faster than I had ever run a 5k before in this season of my life. They were calling the winners for my age range, and I saw the other girls that had beat me that were in my age category. When I was called, I was shocked to hear my name for first place. But then I realized something profound, the other two girls that had run ahead of me had not registered. 

 I learned a valuable analogy about salvation through this experience. We might be discouraged about those who seemingly run ahead of us in life, but if you do not register for the race, accept Jesus as savior, you will not be counted for a prize in the end.  Either you are registered for the race, or you are not. Either you have committed your life to Jesus, or you have not. In the end, if you have not registered none of your hard work in this life will be counted for anything. 1 Corinthians 13: 11-15 says, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,  their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." Thank God that he saved us from sin and death so when we submit our lives to him, he counts us as forgiven not by our merit, but by the saving blood of Christ.  

The second race I was in had over 12,000 people participating in multiple heats. I was running with friends, and we decided for this race we would split up to see if we could get our best times. I had recently been ill and not able to train as much as I would like. As I was running, I just felt like it took all my concentration just to keep going. I felt like if I stopped, I would not start again. I just felt like the Lord encouraged me to just keep going at my own pace.  Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. 

When you are in a race with thousands of people there are many people that you pass, but there are just as many people, if not more, that pass you. One of my sweet children before I was getting ready for the race asked me, “Mommy are you going to win?” I said, “No dear, there are thousands of people in this race, but I am going to have fun running because I love to run.” Fast forward to the race, I am breathing heavy, and I can’t feel my legs anymore. I was just focusing on running at my pace. As I was being passed and passing others, I thought, in life we all have is our race that we are running. Many people in life are going to pass us in career advancement, relationships, opportunities, monetarily, vacations, special gifts or talents. Hebrews 12:1 states "Therefore, 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." Though God calls us to run well, he does not compare us to others in the end, he looks at us and asks us did we run our race well. Not, did you run your race better than Susie or Johnny? 

He said to me that day, just keep up your pace and run your race. He encouraged me to not worry about what other people have done. I should run the race and live my life in order to enjoy it, not get bogged down by not measuring up to those around me. This was a valuable lesson in sanctification. Let us run our race with perseverance, not to be better than others or do more good works, but to enjoy the race that God has marked out for us. Let us keep the pace so that at the end the Lord can say well done good and faithful servant! 2 Timothy 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."