Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Run with Patience


“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1
This past Saturday morning, it was listed on my training days to run 16-18 miles. As I looked at the mileage, I first thought “no problem.” After all, I have already run a half-marathon and 13 miles twice in my training. However, when I got up to mile 14, I really began to struggle. My left knee began to ache, (runners knee), both of my hips were hurting, my back began to tense up and to be honest, I didn’t know if I could finish it. As I ran up one last hill, I was probably running slower than I could walk it. As I began to get to the mile 17 mile mark, my mind began to have thoughts of quitting and calling my wife to come get me. After all, I have already run 17 miles.
As I got to that point, I began to focus on the above verse. I began to concentrate on the last part of this verse, “run with patience.” When I got to mile 9, I began to wish that I was almost finished. But I had to continue running. I still had 9 more miles ahead of me. What does this require? Patience. The original meaning of this word “Patience” is the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings. Here is a question: What trial or suffering has come into your life to tempt you to quit the race? Finances? Marital issues? Loneliness? Self-defeating thoughts? Past failures?
Allow me to encourage you to run the race of the Christian life with patience. Many of those trials in life, God is allowing for our sanctification in order to strengthen us for the journey. As I finished mile 18, I had the feeling of victory that I had accomplished something. After all, it’s the longest I had ever run at one time. It just added to my endurance the marathon I will be running in September.

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