Run with Endurance

Stress. Anger. Hurt. Regret. Sadness. Emotions ran wild on my last run. I pounded out miles as I poured out my thoughts into prayer. Instead of feeling comfort from God I felt convicted. He turned my thoughts from the wrongs I felt from others and pointed me deep into my own heart. I did not like what I saw. Selfish. Unforgiving. Indifference. Pride. I tried to justify myself; these were just thoughts, not actions. I would never speak or act on these thoughts. They are too unkind. I am a kind person. And yet God continued to convict me. He would not let me ignore what He had shown me. I did not want to face it, not because I didn’t believe it, but because I did not want to give in. I did not want to change, I did not want to care more, share more or love more.

The LORD is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. Psalm 145:8

Because God is so good, He makes us feel better, LOVED, once our sins are finally exposed and we recognize our utter dependence on Jesus.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify is from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

I’m a work in progress. I have been justified by the work of Jesus on the cross and I am being sanctified every day through the work of the Holy Spirit. Someday I will be perfected in heaven. It saddens me that I still struggle with such basic sins. We never get beyond our need for the Gospel.

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 endurance the race marked out for us. He brews 12:1

Run with endurance. When I am running long and start feeling tired, I often use that phrase as a mantra. But there’s so much more to it. We can’t run well if we are entangled in sin. The path is clearly marked, I need to stay on the right path, narrow as it may be, it’s the best path.