"Races Of Faith"

"... let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1b

Don't give up. Don't quit. Don't stop running the race that you are on. There is a prize that awaits, and it is only given to those who finish. We often think it is about starting the race, but it is about finishing it. Anyone can start it, but it takes patience, perseverance and discipline to finish it.

This race that you are on is not a sprint or 50-yard dash, it is more of a marathon. It is not ran in a few seconds or minutes, it is ran over a lifetime. Anyone who has ran a marathon can tell you that you have to stay focused-- you have to keep your eyes on the goal. You can't be distracted by what's on the sidelines, or the cheers of the people that are looking on hinder you. They also know you have to keep looking forward, you cannot look behind. They know too that you have to press through the fatigue and not give into the weakness that you are feeling.

The race that I am taking about is the race that you get in when you receive salvation-- it is the race that we run through life to eternity. But there are many other races that you run while on this "racetrack"-- races of faith. You may be running toward a dream, you may be running toward a promise, you may be running by faith concerning a relationship, you may be running toward the plan of God in a particular area-- well, keep running. In order to finish this race you can't be distracted by the cares of this life or by the words of others. You can't look back; you have to keep looking ahead. You can't give into weariness or impatience. There is a prize that awaits every race we run-- the fulfillment (the time when faith becomes sight).

Have a great day. Whatever race you are running, don't quit because there is a prize that awaits those who finish.

For further reading:

Galatians 6:9
1 Corinthians 9:24
2 Thessalonians 3:13