Why Are You Running?
Remember the Olympian who fell during their race? Go ahead, choose anyone that you remember.
A key biblical image of life involves running, walking, stumbling or falling
Paul mentions in First Corinthians: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly;” (9:24-26a)
I know plenty of people who hate running and others who love it. Whatever camp you find yourself in, with an open heart and a little reflection the picture of a race can help inspire our own walks with Christ.
Of course we can understand the metaphor being penned here: The runners in each respective race, physical or spiritual, place a high value on the prize that is in their sights. The apostle is simply appealing to a greater motivation for the believer in Christ to have in their sights set on a bigger reason than something that perishes.
Simply put, a Christian is to live in the light and focus of eternity.
My concern in bringing forward this passage are Christians who are running, yet are struggling in their race. Some of us are running aimlessly.
Some of us are unaware we are faltering. Some are running toward the wrong goal.
Others, in our most honest moments, are in a time that we have just stop caring about the things of the Lord. They’re on the race track standing with hands on their hips and feeling discouragement, dejected and depressed. Not moving.
It reminds me of Olympic runners. Many want the prestige of being the best in the world. To receive that gold medal that in many ways will define their identities and future
They train hard and run fast, simply to qualify at amazing speeds. Astonishingly though how many times have we heard or seen runners who at the Olympics falter at the start? Or stumble in the middle of their pace?
However, they get back up to finish the race.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, you can finish the race! I get that in times of doubt or discouragement the question of why enters our heart. “Why keep running? Why stay faithful? Why are things not looking like they are going to work out? Eternal perspectives are hard to maintain in light of present attacks from the devil, pain in my body or struggles with my sin and the world.
When we are evaluating our race in the middle of the track seeing other runners pass us, we as God’s people are called to persevere
For those who know this truth and don’t care please, keep reading.
The answers to why apathy arises in our soul and we allow our faith to decay, is not always cut and dry. I can think of half a dozen verses to share with you.
Yet you probably know them and they are cliche to you right now. So I’m not going to prescribe a three point action plan here. Why you are running or not running is between you and the Lord.
What is encouraging though, is there resides a smidgen of caring in your heart about your souls condition and the race you are in. How do I know? Because your still reading (at least, I hope that’s indicator.) In this small window of humble admittance, answer this question found in Psalm 121:1 out loud, to yourself
“From where does my help come from?”
So I ask you, what was your answer? If you are unsure of this answer, or perhaps even feeling doubtful that the answer you gave is true. Than read the full Psalm here
Let me tell you, you are not alone in how you feel. Did you know the content of the psalm was written when the nation of Israel was restoring her hope in God’s presence, ability, and care after years of being exiled? During that exile they questioned in their imprisonment and suffering if the Lord abandoned them. Now the Jews were on there way home. They had forgotten the faithfulness of their God. But God never forgot that He called them His people
Could you use some restoring in order to run better? Cry out that you need help to release whatever is holding you down. Even in the midst of intentional or unintentional neglect of your race, He will help you up, and help you walk and not stumble run and not grow weary. You just need remember where your help comes from.
Here it is…
The Lord God almighty maker of heaven and earth—- (and of you)
Eric Mattie is a follower of Jesus Christ, husband to Melanie, Dad to Josh, Allison and Grace. As an exhorter and minister of the Word, Eric preaches and teaches at his home church of La Crescent Evangelical Free Church and local area churches. He writes regularly at www.For1Glory.com. He is an avid reader of Christian and theological books. He enjoys a variety of music genres and continually cheers on the Green Bay Packers