The Pace of the Race
When I was in Middle School, we held weekly mile-long races. I would line up, with all the students at the starting line, and off we go! When I first ran these races, I was all over the place. To start, I would sprint the first quarter mile and excitedly find myself way ahead of the pack. Without fail, however, by the time we got to the half-mile marker, one person would pass me, then two, then three. While I had started the race in first place, by the end, I was below the top ten.
Though I had the desire to run the race well, I didn’t yet know how to. I had to learn how to pace my race.
Life is like a race, and the apostle Paul uses this relatable similitude in his letter to the people of Corinth, which was a hub for the Olympic games of ancient Greece. “Do you not know,” he says, “that in a race all the runners run [their very best to win], but only one receives the prize? Run [your race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours!” (1 Cor 9:24, AMP).
So, how can we run our race to win?
1. Have a Plan
Anyone preparing for a long race needs to develop a plan on how they will train themselves. So, when the moment comes, they will be ready to meet their challenge. Similarly, in our life, we need to seek God consistently. By building our personal time with him in worship and the study of his word, we are strengthened for the challenges that life will throw at us.
Our discipline in private prepares us for our platform in public.
We see this in the story of David (1 Samuel’s 17:34-36), where he had built the skills of fighting a bear and a lion as a shepherd in private, that allowed him to be confident in his public battle against Goliath.
2. Get the Proper Equipment
Any runner will tell you that lightweight shoes and breathable clothing are important in a race. They are uniquely designed to help you perform at your best. Proper equipment allows a runner to be protected from the elements, whether that be cushioning from the hard ground or insulation from the wind. In our life, we also need to be “clothed” with the right gear - The Armor of God. Ephesians 6:14-17 tells us exactly what we need to do,
“So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart), and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
When we put on the full armor of God, we are able to withstand the attacks of the enemy and can therefore run our race more effectively.
3. Hydrate and Nourish
Throughout a long race, runners have the opportunity to grab energizing food or drink to help sustain them. When they are running low on stamina, the right nutrients can help them continue. Similarly, we need to nourish ourselves with God’s word. Jesus reminds us of this in Matthew 4:4, where he says “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The word of God provides us with the strength we need in moments of weakness and helps rejuvenate us.
4. Run YOUR Race
Racing requires strategy! The longer the race, the more strategic you have to be with your energy and your time. To be effective and ensure that you will be able to make it to the finish line, you have to know your body well and understand when you need to slow down your pace during a part of the race. There is no glory in sprinting a quarter of the race and then losing the lead in the end (trust me!).
We must focus on running each of our individual races. It can be so easy to look around and try to run at the pace that someone around us is at.
But when we look AROUND us to others instead of ABOVE us to the Father, we can feel obligated to run a race that we have yet to be conditioned for.
When we take our eyes off of Him, we ultimately begin to put ourselves in a position to become “burnt-out,” resentful servants of Christ, constantly comparing ourselves with our peers.
God has apportioned each of us with unique gifts and talents to serve Him (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). It is important that we earnestly pray for him to reveal our unique gifts to us and give us the strength to operate confidently in our unique abilities.
Let’s run to win!
Hi, I'm Nati Bulcho, a committed child of God. By day, I work as a Federal Consultant, seeking to make meaningful impact in our society. I’m most passionate about seeing lives transformed in Christ and enjoy watching others grow in their faith. You can connect with me on instagram @natibulcho, @thebible_truth (my devotional page) or by email at natibulcho@gmail.com
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