The 33rd Olympics has just begun in Paris France. I like watching the running events in track and field and gymnastics. This year there are a number of great athletes going to Paris—18 of them are from Minnesota. I admire their perseverance, and commitment to prepare themselves for the Olympic games.
The people of the New Testament understood competitions and athletes—Greece is where those ancient games began. Paul references athletes a number of times in his epistles. In the letter to the Hebrews the author compared following Jesus to running a race, in Hebrews 12:1, “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.”
The writer says, since we are surrounded by such a great crowd of people—we should make ourselves ready to compete. An athlete first gets ready by training—Forbes magazine wrote, “People don’t know the process which [athletes] undertake in their individual sports to reach the Olympic level. You get there by sticking it out. There [are] a lot of people that try and give up.”
According to coaches and trainers, it’s common for athletes to invest four to eight years training in a sport before making an Olympic team. When it comes to running, it may take that long just to develop the aerobic base necessary to compete as a world-class athlete. With that in mind, many Olympic athletes plan out their training schedules annually and up to four years in advance to make sure they reach specific performance goals. They designate periods of rest and intense workouts. Particularly in the lead-up to the games, athletes also specifically train to prepare their bodies for the types of conditions they’ll face during outdoor events. And, if you want to train like an Olympian, be prepared to go to bed at the same time as the kids. Athletes training for the games need to sleep anywhere from eight to 10 hours a night, often followed by a 30- to 90-minute siesta, says Mahon. Resting is crucial because it gives the body a chance to rebuild tissue and muscle that’s been broken down during training. In other words, training like an Olympic athlete is like having a full-time job. (without the pay!)
When you follow Jesus, you have entered: “the Christian race” you have an audience—there are witnesses that see you, that are encouraging you and that have gone on before you are watching and cheering! Next our writer says to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles—what are some of those things that hinder us from doing well in our Christian race?
What types of things deter us from being our best? Some things are: doubt, worry, fatigue, busyness, a lack of faith or lack of love for God, or for others. James wrote that when we pray, we mustn’t doubt—for if we doubt, we are like a wave the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.” We all have doubts at times and often struggle with trusting God, yet we need to deal with that so that we can move forward. Anytime we doubt and fail to trust we will struggle to move forward in our faith.
Worry is another weight that we must surrender to God. Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” When we let go of our ‘worry’ we are free to let God be in control of each situation! It frees us and gives us permission to go forward.
Those weights of being too busy or too tired are some we all can relate to in our present culture. How often I’ve been guilty of answering someone that is asking how I am, “busy.” And yes, we are busy—but being too busy will often stunt our growth and slow our race with God.
We need to spend time with Jesus—in devotions, reading the Bible and spending time in church worshiping with other believers. We must never be too busy for the things that are most important: Spending time with our family- (people always trump chores and other types of work.) My mother-in-law gave me that advice early in my marriage, “Take time to go fishing, and horseback riding with the kids—the work around the house would always be there, but your children won’t be.
Doubt, worry, busyness are some of the common weights that weigh us down in our Christian Walk. As we get rid of the weights we are to “run” with perseverance the race marked out for us. When we keep our focus on God—When we make Him our goal and our finish line- we can drop those worries, those doubts, those sins and leave them all and run with perseverance. Jesus told his disciples—I am with you always even to the end of the age—Jesus has paved the way for us and He will give us the strength to run the race before us.
You can do this! You have a heavenly cheering section! It’s time to put on your running shoes!
