January 8th, 2025
by Alexa Hess
by Alexa Hess
A runner sets off down the sidewalk. One mile down. Two. Now three. As the fourth mile approaches, the runner feels her breath start to become heavy. Her lungs struggle to keep up. Her muscles begin to burn. Her knees begin to wobble. "Just a bit longer," she says to herself as she pushes herself forward.
The Christian life can often feel like this for the believer. When we first experience the saving work of Christ in our life, we have a bolt of energy. We feel on fire for God, bursting with delight in our obedience to God. But as time goes on and life gets hard, faithfulness to God doesn't feel as easy. The "race" that Paul says we are all on as believers seems difficult to run. Fire is traded for feebleness as we struggle to move forward. Like a runner who feels herself growing tired, the heaviness of life often causes us to become weary in our walk, unsure of how we can keep going. But instead of allowing our weariness to cause us to forfeit the race, we need to learn how to persevere even when it seems impossible. How? Here are three ways.
Remember why you are running
If you've ever signed yourself up for a race or attempted to become a runner, you know what it's like to get discouraged if you forget the purpose of your exercise. When the race feels weary, it's easy to lose sight of what we're working toward in the first place. Not only that, when we experience deep pain and suffering along the way, we can find ourselves asking if the running is even worth it. As believers, we are not without a goal at the end of this life. Those who trust in Jesus are not left running, wondering what's at the end of the finish line. The apostle Paul speaks of this in Philippians when he says, "Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus" (CSB). This goal is eternity with Christ, promised to us by the work of salvation in our lives. Paul knew that because he belonged to Christ, he had the promise of eternal rest in view as he ran. This reality kept him running, and it should be what causes us to keep running as well. When we remind ourselves that our race is not in vain, we will push ourselves forward even if it's painful, choosing to keep pursuing faithfulness to God.
Fix your eyes on the prize
In Hebrews 12:2, Paul writes that endurance is found by "keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith." There is nothing that slows down a runner more than when they takes their eyes off the finish line. Likewise, we fall into discouragement when we look behind us or around us. Dwelling on the circumstances of the past and present will only add additional weight to our weariness. This is why Paul writes in Hebrews 12:1, "let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us." If we take our eyes off Jesus and fix them on the things of this world, our weariness will only grow.
Endurance is found by looking to the One who modeled endurance for us. Paul continues in Hebrews 12:2-3, "For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won't grow weary and give up." As we fix our eyes on Jesus, we are fueled with the same endurance He had in going to the cross for us. Jesus's own endurance was not without difficulty. He suffered immense pain and persecution for our sake. But Paul writes that Jesus did this with joy as He looked toward what would be achieved by His work of endurance–our salvation. We emulate not only Christ's endurance but His joy as we look ahead to eternity and allow our future to help us remain faithful to God in the present.
Lean into God's strength
When the race feels too weary to run, we can find rest in the strength of the Lord. We cannot run the race set before us in our own earthly strength. As believers, we have received the Holy Spirit who keeps us moving even when it is hard. When we feel like we can't take another step, it is the power of God that carries us forward. Unlike us, God's strength does not run out. Isaiah 40:28 writes, "The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary." But God does not keep this strength to Himself. Isaiah 40:29 continues, "He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless." God does not take a hands-off approach when it comes to our lives. He provides the endurance we need by the means of His own strength. It is through Him that we can strengthen our tired hands and weakened knees (Hebrews 12:12).
The race can still be run, even if you are weary. God has given us a hope to look toward, Jesus to motivate us, and the Spirit's strength to fuel us. So as we move forward, let us rest in the truth that "those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).
Adapted from a previously published Daily Grace Blog.
The Christian life can often feel like this for the believer. When we first experience the saving work of Christ in our life, we have a bolt of energy. We feel on fire for God, bursting with delight in our obedience to God. But as time goes on and life gets hard, faithfulness to God doesn't feel as easy. The "race" that Paul says we are all on as believers seems difficult to run. Fire is traded for feebleness as we struggle to move forward. Like a runner who feels herself growing tired, the heaviness of life often causes us to become weary in our walk, unsure of how we can keep going. But instead of allowing our weariness to cause us to forfeit the race, we need to learn how to persevere even when it seems impossible. How? Here are three ways.
Remember why you are running
If you've ever signed yourself up for a race or attempted to become a runner, you know what it's like to get discouraged if you forget the purpose of your exercise. When the race feels weary, it's easy to lose sight of what we're working toward in the first place. Not only that, when we experience deep pain and suffering along the way, we can find ourselves asking if the running is even worth it. As believers, we are not without a goal at the end of this life. Those who trust in Jesus are not left running, wondering what's at the end of the finish line. The apostle Paul speaks of this in Philippians when he says, "Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus" (CSB). This goal is eternity with Christ, promised to us by the work of salvation in our lives. Paul knew that because he belonged to Christ, he had the promise of eternal rest in view as he ran. This reality kept him running, and it should be what causes us to keep running as well. When we remind ourselves that our race is not in vain, we will push ourselves forward even if it's painful, choosing to keep pursuing faithfulness to God.
Fix your eyes on the prize
In Hebrews 12:2, Paul writes that endurance is found by "keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith." There is nothing that slows down a runner more than when they takes their eyes off the finish line. Likewise, we fall into discouragement when we look behind us or around us. Dwelling on the circumstances of the past and present will only add additional weight to our weariness. This is why Paul writes in Hebrews 12:1, "let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us." If we take our eyes off Jesus and fix them on the things of this world, our weariness will only grow.
Endurance is found by looking to the One who modeled endurance for us. Paul continues in Hebrews 12:2-3, "For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won't grow weary and give up." As we fix our eyes on Jesus, we are fueled with the same endurance He had in going to the cross for us. Jesus's own endurance was not without difficulty. He suffered immense pain and persecution for our sake. But Paul writes that Jesus did this with joy as He looked toward what would be achieved by His work of endurance–our salvation. We emulate not only Christ's endurance but His joy as we look ahead to eternity and allow our future to help us remain faithful to God in the present.
Lean into God's strength
When the race feels too weary to run, we can find rest in the strength of the Lord. We cannot run the race set before us in our own earthly strength. As believers, we have received the Holy Spirit who keeps us moving even when it is hard. When we feel like we can't take another step, it is the power of God that carries us forward. Unlike us, God's strength does not run out. Isaiah 40:28 writes, "The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary." But God does not keep this strength to Himself. Isaiah 40:29 continues, "He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless." God does not take a hands-off approach when it comes to our lives. He provides the endurance we need by the means of His own strength. It is through Him that we can strengthen our tired hands and weakened knees (Hebrews 12:12).
The race can still be run, even if you are weary. God has given us a hope to look toward, Jesus to motivate us, and the Spirit's strength to fuel us. So as we move forward, let us rest in the truth that "those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).
Adapted from a previously published Daily Grace Blog.
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