Finish the Race

by | Oct 1, 2013 | challenge, difficult circumstances, encouragement, featured, living for Christ, running, Uncategorized | 2 comments

The start of a race begins with the finish in mind.
This weekend we set out to finish!
We set out on a course with the finish in mind.
The finish line. It is the one place that everyone wants to cross. We may not always set out knowing, or even believing that we can finish; but we want to finish.
Running doesn’t come natural to me. I almost walk as fast as I run. It is against my better judgement to run. It is against my nature to run. But running is good for me. Running strengthens and stretches me. And training to run has taught me that not all things worth finishing come without pain.
No pain, No gain.
I don’t know who said it, and truthfully I am not very found of the saying.
But it has some merit.
When we train to run, we sweat, we breathe heavy, we have pain. But in the end there is gain.
We gain healthy bodies, we gain perseverance, we gain the victory and satisfaction of crossing the finish line.

This weekend the ladies of Faithfully Fit set out to complete The Color Run. Whether we were running, walking or a combination of the two, we all had a goal….TO FINISH. Within hours of the run I saw the shout outs on facebook…”today I did my first 5K!”, “today I survived my first 5K!”, “today I finished!”.
There were smiles, there was laughter, there was excitement.

Friday night before the race some of the ladies gathered for prayer and devotion.
Run the race, keep the pace, keep your eyes on Jesus.

Jesus set the ultimate example of reaching the finish line.
He went to the finish for you and for me.
When I consider the pain of the cross my heart tears and opens for His love to pour into me. Do you see the importance of His finish?
The finished work of the cross was for our sin. Today’s sin. Yesterday’s sin. Tomorrow’s sin.
The finished work of the cross means we are cleansed when we believe and trust in Jesus.

This weekend we set out to run a race. I didn’t even know the route I would be traveling. But I knew I wanted to reach the finish. Everyday God asks us to run a race. A race that He lays out the course and the finish; no matter where the beginning and middle lead, it always ends at HIM.
It doesn’t always come natural to run this race. It does come with pain, but the gain is well worth any struggle.

This weekend a sweet Faithfully Fit sister leaned over and said, “Thank you, I couldn’t have done this without you”. Everyday, every week, that is what Faithfully Fit is all about. Sitting in the floor, telling others to run the race, to keep their eyes on Jesus, so they know the one who finished the work of the cross.
Every week we sweat together so that we may pray together.
We laugh together so that we may cry together.
We love together so that all know that they are loved.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3

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2 Comments

  1. Kelly Balarie
    Kelly Balarie on September 20, 2014 at 12:40 pm

    Thank you ladies for running your race so hard – and finishing. You are an encouragement to me. I feel so tired from running a race that God has called me to run. He gets us through though, doesn’t he? It is encouraging to hear that he will provide us strength for the race we are called to run. In Him – we can do it.

    • faithfullyfollowingchrist
      faithfullyfollowingchrist on September 22, 2014 at 1:26 am

      Kelly, yes, he will get us through! Something I learned from actually learning to run was that often when I felt I was “hitting a wall” I just had to push a little harder and make it past that wall and the next distance was easier. Ministry will always be tough but there are times that we can see clearly the progress and His blessing that will get us through to the next mile! Blessings- Jodie