Steadfast, Immovable, Abounding

The apostle Paul frequently compares the journey of the Christian life to physical activities and the believer himself to an athlete. He uses this analogy to illustrate countless lessons, teaching us that as Christians, we should be as committed to our calling as an Olympian is to their sport.

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul writes, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” Notice that Paul uses words like self-control, discipline, imperishable…the Christian life is not a fun-run. If we are to succeed in this journey, we must take it seriously. I don’t mean we should live in isolation, reject any appearance of enjoyment, or act like miserable victims, desperate for life to end. In fact, this is quite the opposite of what it means to “live worthily of the calling.” But being a follower of Christ should instill in us a sense of awe every time we think about the greatness of the God we serve and the “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9) into which He has called us. It is this understanding which pushes us to run so that we may win.

The second lesson we can draw from the athlete analogy is that being a Christian requires sacrifice. These sacrifices may be different for all of us—career goals, self-love, relationships, comfort, addictions, power…these are only a few of the things which may try to come between us and the Lord. Though these obstacles may look different on the outside, at the heart they require the same sacrifice. We must give up ourselves: our self-love, our dreams and ambitions, and our desperate attempts to find meaning in this planet earth we mistakenly call home. We can never become a strong athlete of the Lord while continuing the same lifestyle we have always led.

As any athlete could tell us, improvement requires a lot of hard work. Sanctification is just the same. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians 6:7-9). The last sentence is my personal key verse for 2024, and it has proved to be an indispensable reminder. I encourage and plead with you to never give up fighting the good fight of faith, even when the enemy seems to be winning or when your faithfulness seems to barely scratch the surface of this world’s sin. I firmly believe that God uses us in ways we may never see, and in the meantime, He is constantly transforming you into the image of Christ. Sow to the Spirit, and you won’t be disappointed by the harvest.

Hebrews 12:1-3 tells us: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Side note: Hebrews 12 has recently become one of my very favorite chapters in the Bible. If it’s been awhile (or even if not), go read it! Anyway…these verses display the last lesson I’ll discuss: if you want to be a strong, committed, servant of the Lord, you must have endurance and a right focus. In fact, these two are inseparable, because we can’t endure without having our gaze fixed in the right place. It is Jesus, His name, His glory, His character, and His gospel that empower and motivate us to keep on keeping on until the work is finished and the race is done.

Seriousness, sacrifice, hard work, endurance, focus. These themes may leave us thinking the life of a Christian isn’t so great. But as I hinted at earlier, this world is not our home. The life of a believer is not designed to be a walk in the park, because we are not in our natural habitat. We should not be finding our peace and fulfillment in this world when we are strangers walking through it. Don’t get too comfortable here, even when the enemy tries to cushion you with pleasures not meant for you. The race may seem long, the pain unbearable, the end out of sight—but isn’t Jesus worth it?

“Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:30-31).