Back in the fall of 1992 I was presented an opportunity to run cross-country for the University of Memphis. I was thrilled as I had no idea how I was going to pay for college, and this opportunity came with a half tuition and books scholarship. As a member of the athletic department I had access to things that other college students didn't have. There was a study hall with private tutors, nutritionists, trainers, physical therapists, etc. The school paid for running shoes, uniform, warm-ups, jacket, etc. and of course a great coach. We had rigorous workouts. Some days our coach had us run sprints, other days long distances, and the occasional weight room workout. She knew how to get her runners in shape.
The Friday before the meet, I remember getting in the school van and traveling, many times out of state. (This is the cross-country team I'm talking about not the football team ... we didn't fly.) When we arrived at the race site that evening our coach would jog through the course with us. Although she didn't have a hand in designing the course she always knew it well ... "This part is flat and fast. This part is downhill, a good place to rest because around the bend is a big hill." She knew all our strengths and weaknesses as runners, and she instructed each of us how to run our best race. Then we would go check into our hotel, grab some dinner, chill out for an hour, and then lights out. Race day was tomorrow!
I learned alot about running in my short and not-so-distinguished collegiate career. However as an adult I look back and see the preparation for running a very different race ... the race of LIFE! You see God is the designer of our race course. Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are God's own handiwork recreated in Christ Jesus, that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us, taking paths which He prepared ahead of time ..." Jesus Christ has paid the price for us to be successful. He not only stripped Satan of His power through the work of the cross (Col.2:15), but we have been given ALL things that are suited to life and godliness through Christ who has called us to His own glory (2 Peter1:3). And the Holy Spirit? You guessed it. He's our coach.
I found in running it is easy to trust the creator of the course. It never once crossed my mind to question if the 3 mile course was really 3 miles. I also never questioned all the benefits that came with being a member of the U of M team. But the coach thing ... that was a little more difficult. There were definitely times that I thought our practice distance was too long or the pace was too fast, or that we should get a day off after a long run instead of a day of weight lifting. In fact, "You want us to do WHAT!?! was a common thought in my head. But I did what I was told with occasional doubts and a little bit of an inner mumbling and complaining. In the end it paid off, and I got better and better with every passing race.
Coach Holy Spirit, just like my coach, not only knows us but knows the course God has set before us. "But the Comforter ( Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall everything I have told you. He will guide you into all the Truth. For He will not speak His own message; but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father ... He will give the message that has been given to Him, and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come." (John 14:26 & 16:13) Just like my coach would direct us on the best way to run the cross-country course, so does our Heavenly Coach.
About a year ago I decided to get back into running. I won't say it's been fun, but boy has God used it to teach me alot about the spiritual race I am in. Here are just a few parallels of running a physical race and a spiritual race ...
1. Running both races requires DISCIPLINE! This discipline is primarily mental. First and foremost you have to decide you are going to run, and then keep your mind set. ( Col. 3:2) The choice is much more clear cut in a physical race. Spiritually, you may be trying to decide if you're even in a race. Let me help you out. If you are a Christian you have been called to run a faith race of some kind. I love Hebrews 12:1 where Paul tells us "let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us."
2. If you want to be good at running either kind of race, you must be CONSISTENT! There is no such thing as maintaining where you are physically or spiritually. We know this is true physically. If I run 3 miles 5 times this week I will be improving my performance. If I skip running this week my performance will weaken. When I resume running the following week I will not be adding to my prior progress. I will be regaining whatever ground I lost. The same thing can be said of the spiritual race. If we are not actively pursuing a life with Christ and walking in the knowledge we already have, we run the risk of loosing that knowledge too! (Matt. 13:12) As Gloria Copeland says the Lord spoke to her heart ... "In Consistency Lies the Key."
3. Both races require PERSEVERANCE! Let's face it, neither race is easy. How many times in the Bible does God tell us to not fear, be discouraged, give up hope, etc. The Word is chalked full of all those phrases. Keep on keepin' on! "Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal ...." (Phil. 3:13-14) PRESSING IS NOT A PASSIVE WORD. IT IS AN ACTIVE WORD! When I am out for a run and am feeling tired, tempted to walk for just awhile I try to push on through. If I have to walk I don't do it for very long. Why? Fellow runners know why. Once you stop running your muscles begin to tighten up. If you wait too long to pick up your pace it will hurt WORSE than before you stopped.
4. A HIGH can be experienced WHILE running either race! Ever heard of runners high? I had only heard about it until I began to train for a half marathon back in my college days. One day I had decided to run 10 miles and somewhere around mile 7 running became effortless, and I experienced this euphoric feeling like I could run forever! It was incredible! We can have the same experience running our spiritual race. I did this past spring. Circumstance wise nothing had changed in my life. In fact my youngest son had been diagnosed with Autism just two months before, but I had reached such an incredible place with God that none of that mattered, so much so that I seriously began to wonder what was wrong with me that I wasn't worried! Isaiah 40:31 paints a beautiful picture of the believer who is waiting, looking, hoping, and expecting the Lord. They "shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up close to God as eagles mount up to the sun." Do you know that the eagle is the only bird who doesn't hide when a storm is coming? All other birds seek shelter under bad weather conditions. Do you know what the eagle does? It flies so high that it rises above the storm clouds where the sun is shining bright. The storm is still raging but the eagle is enjoying clear skies!
However, there is one big difference between these two races. You see, there is only one winner that wins a physical race, but in a spiritual race there is only one runner. Just you. There is no comparing because no two people run the same course. If you have never run an actual race let me tell you something, there is nothing worse than finishing a race and realizing you still have "gas in the tank." That you could have run harder. That you could have done better. Let me assure you, you will finish your race someday. We all will, but will you be satisfied with your performance? Will you know you went all out and ran it to the best of your ability? Will you hear the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant"? I can think of nothing sweeter! At the end of our race we will not be given a trophy because we ARE the trophy - Christ's trophy! (2 Cor. 2:14) Instead we will be given crowns that we will cast at His feet knowing He is the reason we crossed the finish line in victory! (1 Cor. 9:25, Rev. 4:10)
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