Keep Pressing Forward

Keep Pressing Forward

Most people who run a marathon just want to finish. Certainly they want to do their best, but they have no dreams or delusions about winning the race; for them, finishing is victory enough. That’s because they know the difficulty of this task—and for first-time marathoners, the race is probably the longest distance they’ve ever run. That someone completes a marathon means he or she trained for three months—six days out of every week (with the seventh day for recovery), regardless of weather conditions, potential scheduling conflicts, or other possible excuses for not running. It also means that this runner conquered the “serious stage” of the race and “the wall.” Long-distance runners learn discipline, endurance, courage, and faith. They also learn much about themselves and grow in their confidence. In other words, the adversity of the race brought out the best in them.

Beyond running, we have seen that adversity comes in many forms. For most believers in the first century—and so many throughout the world today—the extreme tough times and trials came simply because they were following Christ. But similar to marathon runners, as they endured and pushed through the wall of persecution, they demonstrated the purity of their faith and developed endurance and character. Hear again the powerful witness of Peter and Paul:

Through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. (1 Peter 1:5-7)

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5)

The Runner

Annie Johnson Flint (1866–1932) lost both parents before she was six years old. She was adopted by a loving couple, but as a teenager, she developed severe arthritis and soon became unable to walk. She had wanted to be a composer and concert pianist, but after her illness made playing the piano impossible, she began writing poetry, setting some of the poems to music. Later in life, she couldn’t even open her hands, but she still wrote her poems on the typewriter, typing with her knuckles. One of her best-known poem-songs is “He Giveth More Grace,” based on the Bible promises found in James 4:6, Isaiah 40:29, and Jude 1:2.

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;

To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

(Chorus)

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men;

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus

He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources

Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

(Chorus)

The Race

God wants us to depend totally on him. Centuries ago, through his prophet, the Lord proclaimed to Zerubbabel, “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6), and we’ve already read Philippians 4:13: “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Our natural inclination is to try to depend on our own mental and physical power and call on God only in emergencies. But he wants to empower us moment by moment, and that means we must depend on him. Some people learn this lesson only through extreme adversity when their faith is tested and purified. They reach the end of their resources and have no option but to depend on God. And they do . . . and press on to the finish.

The Result

Here’s a tough assignment: Thank God for your adversity, your trials. He has promised that they will last only “a little while” (especially in light of eternity) and that they will purify you and form you into the kind of person he can use . . . to his glory.

My Story

I never liked running. I did it because I had to for sports. Put me in a game, and I would run nonstop and go forever; but ask me to run a couple of miles, and I would roll my eyes and pout all the way to the finish line. Now I love to run. What was the change?

Just before college orientation, I participated in an eighteen-day hiking and backpacking trip for incoming freshman. Leading up to the trip, we were told that if we could easily run two miles, we would be prepared for the hike. No problem.

During the trip, we did a variety of activities--canoeing, rock climbing, hiking along Lake Superior, forty-eight hours of solitude--but the trip ended with a ten-mile run back to camp. For someone who ran only when sports required it, this was a long distance. Plus, I hadn’t run in the previous two weeks--wouldn’t I be out of shape?

We put on our running shoes (what a relief to get out of hiking boots!), tied our laces, and took off. This wasn’t a typical road race. We ran around trees, over rocks, and through marshes, and before I even knew it, I had reached the halfway mark. I had already run five miles and felt great!

But around mile seven, I started to drag. Everyone had spread out, so I was pretty much running alone and feeling really tired. At that moment, right when I needed it, a girl I had met only briefly ran up to me and in her sweet Southern voice said, “Dana, you can do it! You’re doing great! ‘For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.’” Then she continued running.

Tears came to my eyes, and I knew I could finish. I had just hiked for over two weeks with only what I could carry on my back, and God had been with me through it all. He would help me finish. Crossing that finish line, cheered on by the others who had already finished, was one of the greatest feelings in my life. I did something I never thought I could do. And I know that when I needed it most, God had sent Katherine along my path to encourage me with words and Scripture--and I finished strong. I finished that run and have been a runner ever since. Her words not only encouraged me in that moment, but they developed a love of running in me.

I learned that God sees us, hears us, and brings along what we need most, right when we need it.

Dana

Think It Through

1. Why do you admire someone who has completed a marathon? What have you learned about yourself during running adversity?

2. When are you tempted to live on your own strength and not rely on God? Why do you think you are tempted then?

3. In what ways have your “problems and trials” developed your endurance, character, hope, and confidence?

4. What can you do to remind yourself to rely on God’s strength at all times, not just during adversity?

On Running

Seven Principles of Exercise—Part One

1. THE PRINCIPLE OF INDIVIDUALITY:

All people are created differently. Heredity determines how quickly and to what degree your body adapts to a training program. Any training program must take into account the specific needs and abilities of the individuals for whom it is designed.

2. THE PRINCIPLE OF SPECIFICITY:

Your training program should focus on the areas you specifically want to develop (e.g., breath capacity, leg strength, stride), which will allow you to achieve your training goal (e.g., pace, endurance).

3. THE PRINCIPLE OF DISUSE:

If you stop training, your state of fitness will drop to a level that meets only the demands of daily use.