running
May 27, 2009
“I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life” (v.4).
READ: 1 Kings 19:1-5
I have a confession to make. I hate to run.
Some people enjoy jogging to stay in shape. Others put themselves through rigorous months of training to run long-distance races. While I admire their discipline, it’s definitely not for me.
A friend who is an amateur marathoner told me that during the last 6 miles of a race everything below his waist begins to shut down. His legs cry out to his brain, “Why are you doing this to me?” In those moments, it makes no sense whatsoever for him to keep going—but somehow he perseveres.
The Old Testament prophet Elijah found himself running—not to train or for exercise, but for his very life! After his dramatic showdown on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal, the wicked Queen Jezebel put a bounty on his head (1 Kings 19:1-3). He eventually fled to the desert, collapsed under a tree, and wanted to give up (vv.4-5).
“Why bother?” can be the cry of the heart when the going gets tough. Like a jogger running the last few miles of a grueling marathon, Christians can become so overwhelmed or demoralized by circumstances that it can appear as if there is no point in trying to fix a problem or achieve a dream.
Satan, our archenemy, wants us to quit when we have to deal with difficult circumstances. He wants us to agree with the lie that it’s pointless to keep going. But if we keep our focus on Jesus and all He truly is, we won’t be deceived. We won’t be taken down by the lies of the enemy, and we won’t give up. Because of Him, we can persevere and find the strength to finish whatever race is marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1-2). —Jeff Olson
What challenges in life have you been facing? How will you persevere by God’s strength?
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It is natural for us to get depressed or hopeless when our circumstances are against us. However, it is amazing that regardless of the situations we are in, somehow, God is always there to provide us with strength to survive through them.