Run the Race

Heb. 12:1b "And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..."

1 Corinth. 9:24-27 "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. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

I love running because there is such a spiritual element to it. There are so many spiritual lessons that one can learn from running. First off, running teaches us to persevere. 

Persevere: Steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement

Often in life, there are challenges, difficulties, and obstacles that make us want to quit. We want to quit our jobs, our marriages, our relationships and even our hopes and dreams. The race of life becomes too difficult and the obstacles too overwhelming to bear. And that's when the perseverance kicks in! Instead of quitting the race, you step it up and fight back! You make a decision to run the race marked out for you, determined to reach your goal!

Running teaches us about training.

When you have a set goal and you're determined to reach it, you need to think about what it takes to reach that goal. If you're going to run a marathon, or even a 5k, it helps to train and prepare yourself. Similarly, in life it takes training and discipline to reach our goals. I often forget this and get angry when things don't go my way, or when I don't get what I want, when I want it. I have to remember that I need to train and prepare myself to be the kind of woman I want to be. I can't become a good worker, a loving wife, and a faithful friend overnight. I can't have a successful career, a happy marriage, and healthy relationships without putting in some hard work and effort. In order to finish the race and reach my goals, I need to train hard.

Finally, running teaches us the importance of purpose. The idea of running aimlessly seems ridiculous to me. I need to know where I'm headed, otherwise it will be an endless race. Life can feel like an endless rat-race when I don't have  a purpose, or when I forget about my purpose. I want to run with purpose and I  want to live my life with purpose.