RUNNING HURT
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
I don't know how many of you have ever played in a sport or been in a race of some kind when suddenly something in your body went wrong and you found yourself in pain while still involved in needing to perform your role in whatever was going on? This kind of thing happens to people all of the time with varying results. It is then that we begin to assess the need to continue what ever the activity is we are involved in...what is the prize...what will be the results if we simply drop out?
I believe that Paul understood that very well when he tried to explain the contest and the race that we run in everyday of our lives. The race goes on no matter if we are injured or not...no matter what circumstances we will find our lives in the race is continued because it is an endurance race; not a race based upon the fastest runners. We may see people speed past us all of the time only to find that much later or down the road we will once again cripple along past them as they are laying in an exhausted pile somewhere along the road. The pace they had set was way too much for them...or the endurance was not there in the manner they chose to run their race. The bottom line is always that many people do not count the cost of what they are trying to undertake in running this race of endurance.
It is sad for those of us who limp along year after year to see someone burn out along the way...I have personally seen many, and until I learned how to run I almost burnt out myself. There have been times when I almost lost my mind in the process of running this race. Some people who have seen me streak by I am sure have seen me in some of the wrecks I have had along the way...just because you have a pile up does not mean that you can't still run or walk depending upon the damage caused by your accident. There have been cases where my life has had to bend as I continued to run. There have been many times that I almost gave up because of the pain that running has caused me...but I have never given up.
I need to tell you that there have been times when not only have I not listened to anyone else who has told me to stop running...but there have been times when I no longer could listen to my own heart when I have told myself to give up and stop running. The only voice that I have listened to has been that of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior who continues to tell me " you can do it...keep right on running, and finish the course". It is His words alone that have continued to encourage me to stay the course and continue to run when I felt so alone and so behind that I could see no one else running with me. There have been times that my pace was so slowed down that I was sure that I would be the very last to ever cross the finish line. I want for you to know if you feel that way right now that I have also been where you are. I want for you to know that you are not alone...there is someone there who will not only be with you , but who will carry you as far as you need to be carried until you can stand on your own once more ,and then continue to run. There is no doubt that you will be the one who does the running , and that you are the one who must finish the course set before you...but there is also no doubt that you will never be alone...you will never be alone. May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
I don't know how many of you have ever played in a sport or been in a race of some kind when suddenly something in your body went wrong and you found yourself in pain while still involved in needing to perform your role in whatever was going on? This kind of thing happens to people all of the time with varying results. It is then that we begin to assess the need to continue what ever the activity is we are involved in...what is the prize...what will be the results if we simply drop out?
I believe that Paul understood that very well when he tried to explain the contest and the race that we run in everyday of our lives. The race goes on no matter if we are injured or not...no matter what circumstances we will find our lives in the race is continued because it is an endurance race; not a race based upon the fastest runners. We may see people speed past us all of the time only to find that much later or down the road we will once again cripple along past them as they are laying in an exhausted pile somewhere along the road. The pace they had set was way too much for them...or the endurance was not there in the manner they chose to run their race. The bottom line is always that many people do not count the cost of what they are trying to undertake in running this race of endurance.
It is sad for those of us who limp along year after year to see someone burn out along the way...I have personally seen many, and until I learned how to run I almost burnt out myself. There have been times when I almost lost my mind in the process of running this race. Some people who have seen me streak by I am sure have seen me in some of the wrecks I have had along the way...just because you have a pile up does not mean that you can't still run or walk depending upon the damage caused by your accident. There have been cases where my life has had to bend as I continued to run. There have been many times that I almost gave up because of the pain that running has caused me...but I have never given up.
I need to tell you that there have been times when not only have I not listened to anyone else who has told me to stop running...but there have been times when I no longer could listen to my own heart when I have told myself to give up and stop running. The only voice that I have listened to has been that of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior who continues to tell me " you can do it...keep right on running, and finish the course". It is His words alone that have continued to encourage me to stay the course and continue to run when I felt so alone and so behind that I could see no one else running with me. There have been times that my pace was so slowed down that I was sure that I would be the very last to ever cross the finish line. I want for you to know if you feel that way right now that I have also been where you are. I want for you to know that you are not alone...there is someone there who will not only be with you , but who will carry you as far as you need to be carried until you can stand on your own once more ,and then continue to run. There is no doubt that you will be the one who does the running , and that you are the one who must finish the course set before you...but there is also no doubt that you will never be alone...you will never be alone. May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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