Running a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Today I am thankful that my relationship with God is more like a marathon than a sprint.  

I think so often our human minds like to think things like, “Once I’ve accomplished ____ then I’ll really be where God wants me to be”, or “Once I get to    (point in life)    everything will be okay”, or “I’m not ready to do what God has called me to do yet because I haven’t done ____ yet”, or “When I get to this certain place I’ll finally be open to let God do the things He wants to do in my life.” 

This can either be where we want to be spiritually or what we want to accomplish physically, but I think the thought process can be very similar either way.  I love that most of the verses in the Bible that talk about God’s will talk about the will of God being a matter of the heart.  It does not talk about the will of God as a final destination point that we will finally get to in a few weeks, months, or years.  

It is good to have goals and dreams, but when we are so fixated on getting to the next destination, spiritually or physically, we limit what God wants to do with us in our current place.  Can you imagine if our relationships with God were like sprints? I imagine I would cross the finish line out of breath, wondering why I was in such a hurry to get so far ahead of God. I would much rather be running alongside God as he trains me and prepares me knowing that He will use me for His glory along the way.

God doesn’t require us to have done a list of things before He is able to finally use us and He doesn’t expect us to rush from one place to the other to be in His will. He can use us wherever we are, all that He requires is an open heart completely surrendered and set on Him. “Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1.  As we set our hearts on Him we can be assured that we are in the will of God because from our heart flows our actions.  “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” Proverbs 4:23. When you’re walking with God you don’t have to worry about if you’re in the right place; Jesus is the right place.

So let’s not fear that we are out of God’s will, or close or hearts to God because we think we’re not ready to be used.  Let us rejoice knowing that God is pleased with a heart that is focused on Him and trust that He is making us ready for the days to come.  Let us run a race of endurance knowing that God is cheering us on every step of the way! 

“And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus”

Hebrews 12:1-2

“Be joyful always; pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18