Issue #4 -More Than Miles: A Race Worth Running

Apparently, I am having a ‘mid-life crisis’ as I recently got more serious into running and finished my first marathon when I turned 40 last year. If we have ever talked before, there is a high likelihood that I have asked you to sign up for a race with me. All jokes aside, to my amazement, I have grown to find joy in running.

I was never a runner and did not participate in any organized sports in school. One day, I found a “couch to 5K” running program and found that I can actually run a mile. I began to dream bigger and found myself signing up for a race after watching an 80-year-old grandma finish a triathlon on YouTube.

What I grew to love about running is that you see and feel the results as you put in the time. Your legs become stronger, your breathing becomes easier, and you can run longer and faster. However, it is important to realize that the results are not seen immediately in days but rather in weeks and months. It is fascinating to see this language of training and endurance in Paul’s letters as well.

Paul, as a Roman citizen, certainly would have been familiar with the Greek games of endurance. If you consider how much ground he covered during his mission trips (approx. 10,000 miles by foot and boat), he essentially was doing ultra-marathons for Jesus! Paul and the writer of Hebrews linked the training it takes to do an endurance sport with living out a life of obedience.

'Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.’ - 1 Timothy 4:7-8

'Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.’ - Hebrews 12:1

I think of this often as there are many days when I don’t feel like doing the things I know I should be doing, whether it be going for a run, reading the Bible, spending time in prayer, etc. This is where training, discipline, coaching/discipleship, and accountability become so important.

I do not believe a David Goggins style of motivation, however effective, is the ideal way in our Christian life. Rather, we are called to a life of obedience out of our gratitude to a loving Father and the grace He has shown to us through His Son. With the help of His Spirit and community, we run with perseverance in our faith even when it is hard or when we simply don’t want to. As we do this day by day, we find that when we look back, we see how much we have grown. We see that we have become more patient, loving, kind, gentle, filled with joy and peace.

I am so thankful for this community at Joy to have brothers and sisters to figuratively and literally run with. I pray that we may all train ourselves diligently so that we may be able to confidently proclaim as Paul did in 2 Timothy:

'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.’

-Francis