Running the race with perseverance

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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

I was playing a bowls match in South Africa to decide the winner of the ladies competition at our small club.  It was not an important fixture except for the two of us involved.  It was a hot day and I just about had the edge and was slightly in the lead but my opponent would not give up. She was hot, desperately wanted a drink but just kept persevering.

When she did not do well, she just said, ‘Well I must try harder and do better’ and she did. She would not give in and in the end her perseverance paid off and she won the match.  I kept thinking why don’t you just let me win but no, she was not going to be defeated.

The analogy is obvious but I know, too often, I just want to give up and give in to temptation, disappointment, hurt and rejection. It is sometimes easier to listen to the lies of the enemy and feel sorry for myself instead of persevering, standing firm and just keep trying. It is hard to do better when you feel like you are failing.  The key of course is to fix our eyes on the prize and better still the prize giving and the person who is handing out the prizes.

The prize giver is not just a celebrity who has little to be proud of other than the fame they have acquired. Our prize giver is the pre-eminent overcomer; the man who never gave in or gave up. The person who persevered and won the ultimate prize and we share in the benefits that he won for us because his race was not for his benefit but ours. Yes Jesus victory on the cross meant his glorification and exaltation to the highest place but we are the chief beneficiaries.

It can be hard when we are being tested and everything in us just wants to give up but the writer of Hebrews says in verse 3 of chapter 12 ‘Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.’ The answer is always Jesus and fixing our eyes on him and considering what he did for us, will give us the boost we need to persevere and do better.

We will see victory if we do not give up but even if we fail, God’s loving arms are there to pick us up, dust us down and help us start all over again. There is a great cloud of witnesses cheering us on who have been there before us and encouraging us to succeed. With their support and Jesus’ we have all the encouragement we need to persevere and win our race.