Pressing on Toward the Goal

Once upon a time in a race of life, there were thousands upon thousands of runners competing for a prize. The course was a mixed bag of highs and lows and twists and turns. Some miles were relatively flat and easy-going, while others were mountainous and rugged—filled with rough terrain and uneven footing. The playing field was a talented bunch, displaying a diverse set of strengths and weaknesses. While victory was within reach for each of these participants, so was defeat. The competitors’ responses to the challenges, distractions and hard knocks they met along the way would ultimately determine their outcome. The participants were from all walks and stages of life:

Running on Empty was full of promise and potential; he was gung-ho and over-zealous to conquer the world. He started out strong and seemed unstoppable. Unfortunately, this over-zealous trait ended up being his down fall. After saying yes one too many times, this one flitted from one activity to another, forgetting to refuel along the way. A people pleaser by nature, he made other people’s happiness his goal. Soon, too much over-commitment with little rest and a to-do list forever long resulted in burn-out. Running on Empty began losing his fire for obtaining the prize. Overcome by weakness and hopelessness, he sat down in the middle of the road and couldn’t go on.

Control Freak had the most proper and precise running form of all. This athlete worked harder than anyone else, determined to come out on top. He had a stellar training plan, with every minute of every hour of every day accounted for. Unfortunately, Control Freak was too scared to let go of his way of doing things. He was too afraid of taking chances and risking failure. Over time, the unknown challenges of the course and the constant ‘What-If’s’ that plagued his mind were simply too much. Worry overcame his mind to the point that it affected him physically, rending him only a mere shadow of what he could be.

Pinterest was the most lovely competitor of all. Sporting the best running gear around, Pinterest had it going on. All of the other competitors were quite impressed (and a bit envious) of his style and appearance. After all, he appeared perfect. Pinterest attempted to create a perfect, heavenly home in the here and now, not realizing his nearsightedness was forfeiting his right to the real thing. Pinterest got so cozy and caught up in beautifying the course that he lost interest in running for and obtaining the prize. He finally stopped running altogether, settling down in his darling home full of home-made delights.

Accolades was quite talented and showed great potential. So much so, that he was a crowd favorite and was reminded often of his greatness. But Accolades became too reliant upon the affirmation. He started running with his cell phone, recording every step he made on social media. He compared himself to others, measuring his worth based upon how many ‘Likes’ and ‘Comments’ he obtained. Accolades got so caught up in boasting in his present life and what other people thought about it that he lost sight of the prize. One day he took a wrong turn while texting about himself and never got back on course. He’s been distracted ever since.

Life of the Party was the runner all of the other participants wanted to hang with. He kept the course fun, fun and more fun. Life of the Party filled every inch of the route with good times and entertainment. Fantasy Football, Netflix, X-box, nightclubs, social gatherings, you name it. If it was entertaining, Life of the Party was all up in it. The party stops and leisure activities became so consuming that Life of the Party lost interest in moving on down the course towards the prize. When he pulled out of the race, several other participants who he’d influenced along the way followed suit.

Shame stood out tall and confident at the start line. He had great hope for a strong finish. But, he began running with a crowd that persuaded him to take paths he later regretted choosing. Even though he finally got back on course, he couldn’t shake the voices that screamed he was unworthy of the prize. Shame hung his head in guilt; feeling like an undeserved misfit, he limped along at a snail’s pace.

Embittered began with light feet and a skip to his step. Things seemed promising. But somewhere along the way, another participant tripped him up and caused him much grief. Rather than letting this go, Embittered held on to the hurt and let it fester into unforgiveness. Year after year, Embittered continued to harbor hurts from others, allowing them to weigh him down. Finally, the unforgiveness was so heavy he could no longer keep moving, nor did he have the desire to keep moving. Instead, he sat on the side of the road in his misery, hurling insults at the other participants as they ran by.

Running on Empty, Control Freak, Pinterest, Accolades, Life of the Party, Shame and Embittered—each one of these runners represent sin struggles. While each struggle is a little different, they all have one thing in common: they represent an emptiness in the human soul that wants desperately to be filled with something. I can definitely identify with every one of these runners, some of them more than others. Perhaps your sin struggle has a completely different name associated with it. Whatever it is in our lives, it entices us to move off the race path. It entices us to keep choosing wrong things over and over again, until one day we realize we are further off course then we ever meant to get.

Here’s the wonderful part of the story, though. This race isn’t over yet.   Every one of these runners can choose to get back on course—and so can you and I.

It begins with surrendering. Surrendering our struggles to the One who can heal our hurts and fill us up. What does this look like exactly? It’s as simple as talking to God about where you are failing, where you are messing up and where you are stuck. 1 John 1:9 tells us that ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’ We cannot change on our own—it requires asking for help from our Lord God ‘who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us’ (Eph. 3:20).

The next step is spending time with Him by studying His Word. This means making room for Him in our lives. Never in the history of mankind have we lived at a more distracting time then right now. We have more information and entertainment at our fingertips than we know how to handle. Setting aside a time ‘to be still and know that He is God’ is becoming more and more difficult in our noisy, techy world. But we must fight each and every day to make this happen if we are going to live in God’s strength and not our own.

Last, God’s Word tells us in 2 Cor. 12:9 that ‘His grace is sufficient for you, for His power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.’  Notice that the word ‘Grace’ includes ‘race’.  This is great news for Running on Empty, Control Freak, Pinterest, Accolades, Life of the Party, Shame and Embittered (as well as you and I)! They and we can get back in the race! They and we can ‘press on toward the goal to win the prize of Christ Jesus’! But not on our own accord. Human ability, left to itself, gets lost in the wilderness. Only God’s amazing grace will result in a worth while race. His power rests on us and through us when we humbly admit our weaknesses—it’s then that we will see His ability, not our own, raise us up and carry us over the finish line.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me,

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught...

my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear...

the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares...

I have already come.

Tis Grace has brought me safe thus far...

and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me...

His word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be...

as long as life endures.

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus!” Phil. 3:14