Run With Endurance
What has God set before you today?
Verse of the Day
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
Today’s Devotional
As we discuss endurance, this verse leads me to ask some questions. What is the “race” that God has set before me? If I can identify that, am I doing it with endurance, or do I give up easily? Is there anything in my life that needs to be stripped off because it is hindering my “race”?
If we dissect this verse, we see that we are surrounded my a crowd of witnesses to the life of faith. If you read Hebrews 11, you will see a list of 18 people who chose to live by faith in God and obedience to Him. It’s as if the author of Hebrews imagines these people as “spectators from the heavens, cheering us as we press on to overcome present discouragement as in an athletic competition.” (Enduringword.com) Not only do we have a heavenly fan section, we have current-day people who are watching what we do. Are we living in a way that attracts others to faith in God?
Next we see that we need to remove anything that is hindering our ability to have endurance. If I looked at my life right now, I can see some things that might be making my faith journey difficult: doubt, fear, selfishness, unrealistic expectations, choosing to focus on the negative instead of actively choosing gratitude, insecurity, complaining, blaming, sarcasm, choosing distractions or creature-comforts over extended time with God. The author of Hebrews tell us to strip these things off. Remove them deliberately. That’s a choice. And it might need to be done many times. Maybe even many times in one day. Endurance in our faith requires that we not be needlessly weighted down.
The verse immediately following today’s gives us a prescription for how to run with endurance. “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus.” (Hebrews 12:2) Endurance, therefore, requires that I keep my spiritual eyes laser focused on Jesus. How do we do that?
To keep my eyes on Jesus, I need to start my day with Him. I need to read my Bible with the intent of growing in knowledge of God’s love for me (and all of mankind) and learning to apply that knowledge in how to actually behave today. I need to be confessing my struggles to Him, and for me that has to be written down. I need to practice silence, so that I can actually give Him the chance to speak to my heart in an environment where I can hear Him. When I receive a word from God, I need to ask for the strength to follow through. When God provides an answer, I need to be incredibly grateful and full of praise. I need to be asking God to show me the things that are hindering me in my relationship with Him and others. And then I need to work on removing those things, all with His help. I need to be talking to God all throughout the day, because I can have a fantastic quiet time in the morning and then get sidetracked within an hour. I need to treat every single person I encounter with love and mercy and kindness, hoping they will get a glimpse of Jesus in me. I need to lay my head down at night and talk to God before I sleep. I need to make space in my life for God.
Why do I need to do all of that? Let’s look at what Hebrews 12:2 says about what Jesus did. He knew He was going to have to endure some incredibly painful things. But He did those things because of the joy awaiting Him. His joy was not just that He would be reunited with God and seated in a place of honor, it was also that He had provided a way for each of us to be with Him forever. We are part of His joy. You, my friend, are part of what brings Jesus joy.
So when I seek Jesus with my life, it is not just so that I will go to heaven. The joy awaiting me is that others might follow my lead and find Jesus. Our joy in salvation will be multiplied when we share it with others. And I can share my faith more easily when my eyes are on Jesus. When I’m allowing Him to strip me of the sin that hinders my witness. When I don’t give up easily. When I ask for eyes that see people the way Jesus does. Which I can only do by having the kind of relationship with Jesus that guides every facet of my life. And when I have endurance.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Do you have things that hinder your relationships/faith/witness? Write them down and ask Jesus to show you how to change – just for today.
Which parts of your day need more Jesus focus?
How can you deepen your relationship with Jesus so that it’s easier to keep your eyes on Him?
Who in your life needs to see Jesus in you today?
How could focusing on Jesus help you with endurance?