Running With Endurance
Nobody wakes up on the morning of a marathon and suddenly decides,Hey, I think I'll go down and run the race today. Long-distance running requires training, and lots of it. The typical marathon runner spends months preparing for the race. He pulls himself out of bed early and hits the street. Focusing on his goal, he pushes through physical and mental exhaustion. He watches what he eats, gets plenty of sleep, and runs—regularly. The main goal of all of this training is to build endurance. While not easy, the discipline is essential to running 26.2 miles.
Since Scripture compares the Christian life to a race, we can assume that endurance is essential for our success as well. And what builds spiritual stamina? The apostle James points out that dealing with trials strengthens us. In fact, in James 1:2-3, he even tells us to welcome difficulties because "the testing of your faith produces endurance."
He is talking about the inner strength that allows us to face any difficulty without quitting. A runner needs such strength for a race. So even though the training hurts, he conditions his body to be able to reach the finish line. For believers, the process is similar, except that our training comes through trials. As we face different challenges in the power of the Spirit, God builds us up more and more.
Are you facing a hardship today? God wants you to trust Him and then ask yourself, Am I willing to go through this intense workout today in order to win the race tomorrow?
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