Endurance for the Race

I Corinthians 9:24-25 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one.

As I laced up my shoes for as run, my daughter said, “I want to go! I want to go!” I thought for a second and said, “Sure, get your shoes on.” She ran to her room and came back with tennis shoes on her feet. (If only she would move that fast in the mornings!) We went outside and I began to show her how to stretch and explain the importance of staying on the correct side of the road. She promised to listen to my directions so that we could run safely. I told her we could walk a little if she felt like she needed to rest, but no matter what, I would not carry her.

I didn’t know how long this sudden fascination with running would last, so I wanted to stay close to the house for our run. We set off down a dead-end road and she ran all the way to the end without stopping (1/2 mile). I expected her to be tuckered out when we returned to the top of the road, but she wanted to keep going. We turned down another road and continued running. I was amazed at those little legs that had to work twice as hard as mine. “This is fun, Mommy!” she yelled.

We ran two whole miles together. Not bad for a four-year-old. We had to slow down a few times, but I urged her to keep on going, to keep moving, and never stop completely. I explained what “endurance” means in terms that she could understand: It’s practicing really hard so our muscles will get stronger. Eventually, we can go faster and farther.

When she said her prayers that night, she said, “Thank-you God for Mommy. We had a good run today.” I tucked her in with a smile on my face and walked away amazed, once again, at my daughter. Her simple prayer reminded me of the ease with which we should be able to approach God in prayer. I also realized that prayer is a vital part of what helps Christians build “endurance” for daily living.

As a runner, I build endurance by logging lots of miles. Sometimes these miles are in less than ideal conditions like extreme cold and even rain. But that’s life! The sun doesn’t always shine and sometimes it’s cold and rainy. There are times in life when we have to slow down; we might want to give up, but we must keep moving…and praying. Sometimes we find ourselves running on the wrong side of the road. Sometimes, it’s the wrong road altogether. Prayer builds Christian endurance by putting us on track for the direction God would have us go. The more we practice prayer, the closer we are drawn to Him and the more prepared we are to handle the difficult days in life, those days when we can’t see the road at all.

As a runner, I want to build endurance and have a healthy body with a strong heart, muscles, and lungs. But as a Christian, I want to build endurance by having a strong relationship with God, by studying His word, and praying about all things. Practicing these things is like the “stretch” before the run. They help one endure with a strong spirit and positive attitude. All the while, we are being shaped to go further and faster for God.

God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but he does expect us to keep trying and to look to Him for guidance. But unlike my efforts to teach my daughter to endure by not carrying her, God does carry us when we are weary from the race of life. All we have to do is ask, and He will see us to the finish line.