What does it mean to run your race? It means that our race is meant for us to complete, not someone else. When a runner is competing, they are not entirely focused on someone else’s race, they are focused on their own. If they did, they will lose focus on what is ahead and how to finish. In a similar way, our walk with the Lord is like a race. However, we do not need to complete it alone. God is the strength we need to finish faithfully and to accomplish what the Lord intends to do. Today, let us discuss how we can walk faithfully with the Lord and how to run our race.
The theme for this comes from 2 Timothy 4: 6-8. It says “…the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” What was Paul talking about? At the time of this writing, Paul was prepared to give his life for the gospel and knew he completed what God had ordained for him to do. He faced many challenges such as shipwrecks and persecution but he remained faithful to the very end. He ran his race well and was ready to receive his reward from the Lord.
Our lives are also like a race. We will either keep moving forward or we will be distracted and get our eyes off the Lord. Let us visualize our life like an obstacle course. There will be times when it is easy, times when it is hard, and times where there is an obstacle we need to overcome. Throughout each and every step, we must remain faithful to the Lord and not take our eyes off of him. However, our obstacles will be different for everyone based on our strengths and weaknesses. It is in our weakness that the enemy will try to come and turn us away from the Lord. When he comes, do we rely on our own strength or do we turn to the Lord? Trying to fight the enemy on our own will result in defeat. However, when the Lord is with us, we are more than a conquerer and we will be victorious (Romans 8:37).
As mentioned before, we are all different when it comes to our strengths and weaknesses. Because of this, our walk with the Lord will be different from everyone else. Similarily, what God has planned for us will be different than everyone as well. With this knowledge, if we keep looking to others and comparing ourselves to them, we will only rob our joy and our sufficiency in the Lord. Comparison will only destroy the joy we have in the Lord and we lose our focus on Him. If we find ourselves in the state of comparison, we need to stop entertaining those thoughts and focus only on our growth in the Lord. Just like a runner focuses on his or her race, we must be focused on our race and how to finish it faithfully.
How do we finish our race faithfully? It means that no matter what happens in life, we are true to the Lord and we trust Him. Sometimes, it will not be easy but if we ask the Lord for strength, He will provide it! The Lord is the only One that can give you the strength and the endurance you need to overcome any obstacle, temptation, trials, or persecution. Nehemiah 8:10 says “…Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” The joy that comes from the Lord is different than any other joy. The joy of the Lord comes from knowing that God is with you and that you are so valuable to Him and He loves you. When you know your worth in the Lord, nothing will deter you unless you allow it. If you go through this life seeking, obeying, trusting, and serving the Lord, He will reward you. God loves it when we remain faithful to Him and that nothing ever turned us away from Him.
Suppose we have not been running faithfully, what should we do then? We need to ask for forgiveness and then we need to get back on track. Every day we make the choice of whether we will obey the Lord or not. Even though we are not perfect, we must strive to live a life that obeys God. When we fall, we need to ask God’s forgiveness and continue living or running our race. On our own, we cannot live a life that honors God because our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). However, if the Lord is living in our heart, we will honor and obey Him in a way that pleases the Him. If we are faithful to the Lord and we obey Him for the remainder our lives, He promises a crown to those who have endured (James 1:12).
Even though our life or our race is different from others, it does not mean that God loves you more or less than the other person. God will never give us a trial or temptation that we cannot bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). Rather, it is a choice on whether we will do life on our own or with the Lord. With the Lord’s help, we will accomplish exactly what God has planned for our life, the good and bad. Even on our bad days, God is still on the throne and He will not forsake those who call out to Him in faith. As also discussed, the enemy will also try to take us away from the Lord but we must remember God’s Word and obey it. The more we follow and know God’s Word, the more it will be hard for the enemy to come and distract us. In this life, let us strive every day to be closer to the Lord and to do exactly what He has planned for us. By doing so, God will be with us and we can trust Him. It is only with our faithfulness and obedience to the Lord that we will one day receive the reward God has for us in heaven.
Thought for the Week: How are you running your race? What improvements can you make?