How to Actually Joyfully Finish the Race of Faith

How to Actually Joyfully Finish the Race of Faith

As any athlete would tell you, it is important to set your pace. You must know your own levels of endurance. Endurance is built over time with precision. The years of illness, followed by years of working long hours had taken its toll on my body. Last year, I realized that I had laid aside any exercise—well, actually it had been hit and miss with occasional weeks of good followed by more weeks of none. I realized that if I am to live life with both joy and endurance; something had to change. I began easy at first-treadmill at noon every day at work. At first, I began at 3 miles per hour pace for twenty minutes at an incline of 10%. It was a struggle at first; but, every day I would determine to go. At first I would think, ok I can finish 5 minutes. Then at 5 minutes I would think, I can do 5 more. I would do that until I reached my 20 minutes. Now I look forward to my noon work out. I am up to 4 miles/hour, 13% incline and 30 minutes. Each day is the same thought process-5 minutes, then 5 more, then 5 more etc. until I have finished the 30 minutes. I remembered when I was young and would run 10K races—one block at a time.

stretching for the race

[bctt tweet=”Our Christian Journey is much like a marathon requiring endurance looking toward the finish line- “] 10 m at a time.

THE RACE OF LIFE BY FAITH

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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,2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12).

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