Running the Race

Today’s Scriptures:  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… Hebrews 12:1

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24

My husband, daughter (10 yrs. old), and I all ran in a 5K race on Saturday.  This was my daughter’s first race; and I was so very proud of her as she ran over the finish line.  Of course, this is the same child who I have to constantly “cattle prod” along during our training runs around town, and then she left her Momma in the dust when she saw the finish line…to the point I could NOT possibly catch up with her.  I, like a good mother, sent her Dad to catch up with her so she didn’t get lost in the crowd as I brought up the rear.  I began to realize what spurred her on to go faster than she had ever gone was the other kids her age that were running faster than she was.  I hadn’t had a problem keeping up with her before, and had for the most part always been ahead of her…until the competition kicked in during that race. 

How often do we just mosey along in life and our relationship with the Lord when we could be bumping it up a notch? Trying a little harder, pushing a little further than we did before?  Why do we not run in such a way as to get the prize as it states in 1 Cor. 9:24? Is it because we don’t think we can do it…because we don’t care if we are the winner? Why do we not throw off those things that distract us or keep us from doing our very best as Christian women and mothers?  I know…these are a lot of probing questions…I’m trying/struggling to answer them myself too.  We often don’t get to choose the race we are even running in, finding ourselves running and running – and we don’t even know where we are running to? God has a perfect path for each of our lives, and it is our responsibility to run His race as fast and best we can – to win! What are we winning you might ask?  Well, I believe His favor, blessing, and protection upon our lives; and of course we are sowing seeds of salvation as we live a life pleasing to Him day in and day out.  Now, let me tell you, when you are running to win, or at least as hard as you possibly can- there is often pain that goes along with it.  I personally know there is often both physical and spiritual pain.  After the race, I could barely walk and felt like I must have been 100 yrs. old.  That night I found myself lying in bed with an ice pack on my left knee, and a heating pad under my strained gluteus minimus.  Now the spiritual pain from running hard for Christ is often felt when decisions made to remain in God’s will clash with the ways of the world.  For instance: when staying in a difficult marriage is right in God’s eyes but your friends are screaming to get out, when you choose to enter the ministry instead of a high paying job, or even moving to another country to be a missionary and leaving all of your worldly possessions behind.  So where are you running, how hard are you trying, is God having to “cattle prod” you along, and are you consulting the One who will never steer you wrong?