Last year I ran in my very first 5K. Since then I have run in a few other 5K’s. I have really grown to love running and enjoy it very much.
Lately I have been pushing my distances, because I want to run in a 10K now. So I have a 7.25 mile course that I have now run twice. During these runs I noticed something about how I run that made me reflect on my own personal spiritual journey.
When I run I only looking a few steps in front of me. I don’t focus far ahead on what is coming, but I mainly look at the next couple of steps I am going to make. For me it helps me to keep my focus and to not lose heart when I am on a long run. While I was running I thought of the verses in Hebrews 12.
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.
It is important to keep your focus on the right thing when you are running. Otherwise you might grow weary and lose heart. Instead if you focus on what is right in front of instead of the things that you don’t know, then you will endure and make it to the end.
I have been on a crazy, endurance journey these past 4+ years that I have been seeking a job as a youth pastor at a church. Yet during all of this even though there has been times that I wanted to just give up and throw in the towel I would stick with it and keep pressing on. All I knew was what was right in front of me, so I tried to focus on that and just keep running. Hopefully, I will see that finish line coming up soon but I am not worried. I will keep running because I know that just as Eric Liddell said in the movie “Chariots of Fire”, “And when I run, I feel His pleasure.”
That is the reason why I keep pressing on. I keep doing it because I feel God’s pleasure. The reason that I do is because I know that I am doing what He created me to do. Just like when a tulip comes up in the Springtime and blooms, which is an act of worship to God because it is doing what He created it to do, I will keep pursuing Him.
When I go out and run I run, because it brings me pleasure and I believe that it helps me to bring pleasure to God as well. I know that I feel closer to Him. So I encourage you to keep running, don’t give up and keep your focus in the right place so that you don’t lose heart.
