Tonight I made a decision, and to be honest it’s one of the
toughest decisions I have ever had to make. It’s funny how that happens in
life: you jump over one hurdle and then suddenly the next one is right in front
of you before you’ve even had time to breathe.
Hurdles are daunting and often show up unexpectedly.
Sometimes it’s a smooth jump and you just keep on running, but at other times,
maybe your foot will catch or you’ll land funny and maybe it will hurt or maybe
it will slow you down a bit, but the important thing is to just keep running.
The minute we stop running is the minute we lose the race.
Even though your breath may catch and your lungs may burn;
even though your legs may shake and your body feel broken, the important thing
is to never look back. Sometimes we are so focused on the starting point that
we forget that there is still an end point we need to reach. We wonder what
went wrong with the start: did we sprint too early? Did we not go fast enough? Should
we have trained more? Harder? And then we end up getting so wrapped up in all the
questions of what went wrong that we forget about what went right; about where we’re headed towards.
The amazing thing with a race is that between the start and
finish line, there is a track and so much can change on that track! Just
because your start was shaky doesn’t mean that you won’t end strong.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of
witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily
entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for
us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and
perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning
its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”
Whatever is holding
you back or slowing you down, SHAKE IT OFF. And no, none of this “Aw Michaela,
but it’s way more complicated than that”. Uhm no, you are making it
complicated. Yes, I agree some things happen that are super hard and super
difficult to get through, but I believe to every problem there is a solution
you just need to choose to solve it. Maybe it’ll be one of those hurdles where
you will stumble a bit, but just keep moving forward.
Isaiah 43:18-19
says, “Forget the former
things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now
it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Sometimes
we are so focused on the past and on past mistakes that we don’t see all the
amazing, new things happening right now. By constantly looking at the “start”,
we end up falling more and it just takes longer and longer and longer and
longer and longer to reach the end of the race. Change your perception, change
your life ;) John C. Maxwell said “The
difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of
and response to failure.”
My favourite part about finishing a race (or maybe if you
don’t like exercise – let’s be real, winter is a thing – then finishing an
assignment or work thing) is that celebration moment: you know, the “I just ran
a race and deserve a big slice of cake with extra frosting and maybe a
milkshake just because” moment. At the end of the day, every single hurdle has
an end and just because something seems difficult right now doesn’t mean that
you won’t overcome it. One day you will look back quickly and be able to pat
yourself on the back BECAUSE YOU MADE IT THROUGH. One day you will realise the
lessons learnt and maybe be able to teach someone else the best way to get over
a similar hurdle.
Just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Joshua
1:9 tells us to BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS. You can do whatever you set your mind
to- just change your perception to believe it.
I absolutely love this in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27,
“ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only
one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone
who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that
will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I
do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I
strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached
to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
That
summarizes it perfectly. Run this race with purpose, run knowing that you’re in
it to win it and one thing I can promise you is that you never have to do it alone.
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be
with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged."
Deuteronomy 31:8 <3
