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"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."
(Hebrews 12:1)
After you start a race, the next part is the actual running of the race. There are some highs and lows in every race I have ever run. I have completed multiple marathons and a few triathlons, and each one is unique. I have had some moments of joy and many moments of difficulty. In every race, a runner gets that runner's high where those chemicals in the brain are released and you feel great. Then there are moments of sheer pain where you think to yourself, "What in the world am I doing?!" Your body gets very upset with your brain for pushing you to the limits! My greatest trial happened 4 years ago during the Ironman Texas.
It all started so well, and everything was going great until mile 18 on the bike. I swam 2.4 miles in 1 hour and 29 minutes and was very pleased with my time. The first hour on the bike, I traveled 18 miles. I was like, "This is going fantastic!" Then trouble hit. At mile 18, I noticed that my gears on my bike had malfunctioned. I was stuck in a low gear and kept riding until mile 32, when I finally pulled over and waited for help from the race officials. I waited, and waited, and waited. It was so hard to watch people flying by me. I had trained for 5 months solid, 2 hours a day, 6 days a week. One of the officials told me that since my bike was broken, I should probably call it quits. I thought to myself, "No way am I going to stop." At an aid station, a gentleman worked on my bike gears but told me that I would be limited and must stay in this gear. I had a hard time pedaling uphill, but almost 8 hours later, I finished. Oh, and when I finished the bike ride, I still had a 26.2-mile marathon to run!
The same is true in our spiritual races or walks with the Lord. We will have those mountain top times, and we will have those low in the valley times. But the key to staying in the race and ultimately finishing well is not giving up, pushing through, and staying the course. A friend of mine named Malachi O'Brien is attempting to break the world record for consecutive marathons. He is running, as of the writing of today's devotion, his 106th consecutive marathon. He is one shy of breaking the Guinness world record held by two ladies from Britain. I cannot imagine the discipline and fortitude it has taken for Malachi to run these races, and I am so proud of him. I am sure he has some stories to tell about wanting to give up and pressing on anyhow.
How well are you running your race with Jesus? Are you moving through a valley or soaring like an eagle over a mountain? You might be doing very poorly or very well. My encouragement for you is, keep going! Just do not stop. Quitting takes no courage, but pressing on until the breakthrough is so worth it. God loves you, the Church loves you, and there are way more people for you than there are against you, so keep going!
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