I’m tired… my feet hurt. Feels like i’m gonna fall, my side hurts so bad i want to stop running! – Here’s how i was never able to develop a career as an athlete, because for most athletes the work starts where the pain begins.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,”
Hebrews 12:1 NIV
Let us run with perseverance the race that is marked for us… The Amplified version puts it this way…
“ let us run with endurance and active persistence!”.
These combination of words just make you know that the entire endeavor is not a party-like happy go thingy. Endurance and active persistence??? that’s when something is literally breaking you…when it hurts. There’s nothing to hold on to!
He says that’s how to run the race… with endurance and active persistence. In every race what separates winners from losers is how they respond to that critical point, where they feel like their bodies are giving up, when it feels like your legs are sinking into the ground. Nothing makes sense, your innermost parts are burning, you definitely need a drink of water at this point, the sun is scorching… your sides hurt for whatever reason you just need to stop running… I’m here to remind you to endure… don’t give up. Continue that race with active persistence!
That business you started… clients are pulling out, suppliers are delaying, market prices are simply outrageous, there’s one client who’s like a thorn in your flesh, you’re not making any sales… you’re not seeing any progress… oftentimes it is at this point that we stop. Just before the break of down.
We’ve been praying, we’ve been fasting, holding God to his word, we’re literally almost there… almooost there… what we’ve been praying for is almost here and then the pain of seeing another person get their testimony before us, or someone reproaches us because we lack the thing we’ve been praying for and then like peter we lose focus, we take our eyes off Jesus and begin to sink with the waves and we fall back.
But he says to endure… cry, fall before the Lord in despair… but clench your teeth together and keep running with active persistence- Just don’t give up!
There’s a quote that has kept me going for years which says “it’s hard, but if we don’t stop, we will make it”! For what its worth please don’t stop moving forward, don’t stop chasing after God, don’t abandon that dream he gave you… keep holding on , it will sirely come to pass! Even when everyone else gives up… don’t give up. Keep running in the tracks He has set for you and soon victory will be yours.
If you need to scream, please do, if you need to cry, do so, but keep running with endurance and active persistence! You’re almost at the finish line! Keep Going!
We will make it! If we don’t stop!
Love,
Zoe🌟