Running With Perseverance
4/3/2024
Written By: Paige Wassel
As springtime weather turns warmer and the days get longer, it becomes more common to see runners out along city streets and on trails, steadily marking the miles. While I’m not one to run unless something is chasing me, there was a chapter in my life when I trained with my sister to walk in several half-marathons. Ever cold-natured, I’d begin our walks with far more layers than was necessary, inevitably tying sweatshirts or jackets around my waist midway through our time together.
Like those extra layers, sin seems comfortable and familiar and not-so-harmful at first, but ultimately weighs us down, robbing our energy and ability to focus on the course God wants us to take. Hebrews 12:1-3 paints a memorable picture of the spiritual race laid before us:
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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
This race requires a few key ingredients for success:
· Realizing we are not alone in our struggles. Unlike a course where the onlookers may not be familiar with the challenges of training for a race, in this spiritual journey we can look to the pages of Scripture to find common ground with a flawed “great cloud of witnesses”—people like Abraham and Sarah who lied, Moses who committed murder, and David who committed adultery. Despite their sinful flaws, their enduring faith allowed them to be used by God for his glory.
· Committing to removing whatever keeps us from moving towards God. The writer commands us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Removing sin from our lives is an active exercise not a passive pursuit.
· Running with perseverance. We will face roadblocks that will cause us to stumble. Just like setbacks in a physical race, it doesn’t have to mark the end of our efforts. Mistakes can help us learn and give us experiences to share to encourage those battling the same sins.
· Running away from sin and towards Jesus. If our eyes aren’t continually focused on our end goal—becoming more like Jesus—we will be distracted by our circumstances and in danger of falling back into sinful habits.
In looking to Jesus, we can find comfort in knowing he can identify with our struggles, having experienced every human emotion in his time on earth. Challenged by others about who He claimed to be, betrayed by family and friends, and tempted by sin, Jesus persevered. He remained faultless unto death on a cross, becoming the sacrifice for our sin so we could be redeemed and reunited with God. Imagine Him waiting as we cross the finish line of this spiritual race, ready to welcome us into His embrace.