Let’s read Hebrews 12:1
“…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin
which doth so easily beset us, and LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS
SET BEFORE US”.
Did you ever witness (at least on TV) a professional running race? For example
in the Olympics. After a strenuous training regime and a strict selection
process, the runners get to represent their respective nation at an international
arena. Why do they train? To RUN – of course! Why do they run? To WIN – of
course! I never noticed any sprinter running with PATIENCE. Never! They all run
with a sense of urgency and hurry. A sprinter is always hasty in running because
he/she wants to finish the race as quickly as possible in order to try and WIN
the reward. The first to finish the race is recognized as the best, second to
finish is recognized as the second best, and the third to finish the race is
recognized as the third best and so on..!!
On the contrary, the runners on a Spiritual race never run in haste.
They always run with PATIENCE! What does it mean to run with patience? Does it
mean that we are supposed to be lazy? Absolutely NOT. Running with patience
means - Being completely humble and gentle; being patient, bearing with one
another in love (Ephesians 4:2). Spiritual race
has no first, second and third places to it. All who run the race with
diligence and faithfulness are more than conquerors! Each believer has his own
track to run the race in and his own ground to cover.
In a Spiritual race you are not expected to out-run your neighbour or be
jealous of the brother/sister who seems to be ahead of you in the race. You are
in fact expected to Bear and Share each other’s burdens (read Galatians 6:1, 2).
Every believer who finishes the race IN CHRIST will be a winner - Blessed
is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that
person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those
who love him (James 1:12).
Run with PATIENCE…..Stride
with DILIGENCE..!
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