Running in Place

I'm not a runner. Don’t get me wrong. I run. But I’m not a runner. I don’t get excited about running. I don’t get pumped about running. I don’t somehow feel fulfilled after a run. But for some reason I keep doing it. I don’t know, maybe it’s Paul’s words from Hebrews 12:1 echoing in my head:

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.

It’s a practical application. Each run represents my walk with Jesus. There’s a beginning and an end. There’s a crazy, painful, exhausting process in between. I sweat. I grow sore. I want to quit. I have a goal in mind. I have a destination I want to reach. I endure.

That is, unless I’m running on a treadmill. Ever run on a treadmill? It’s lame. There’s no scenery. There’s no fresh air. There’s no ambience. It’s just you on a machine, in a room, and maybe a TV or some headphones. When you run on a treadmill you have to endure all the hardship and pain, but end up going nowhere. Sound familiar?

This is how many of us live. I’ve been there. I sometimes revisit that place. You might be there. We go through our days, living out the same routine over and over again, entertaining both the good and the bad, and pray for something to change. We pray for change, but refuse to do our part. We run and we run and we run and we wonder why we haven’t moved, why we haven’t made any progress. We wonder why we’ve been running in place.

Tired of going nowhere? Tired of running in place? If this is you, if you’re ready to break free, then it’s time to make a change. You might have to stop doing something. You might have to start doing something. Your steps are different from mine. We’re all running the same race, but our strides are unique.

It’s time to get off the treadmill and get outside. It’s time to break free from the monotony of what we know, of what is comfortable, and take a risk. God has set this race before you. He’s paved the way. Trust that He will guide each step.

Remember, you can experience all the benefits of running while on a treadmill, but in the end you’ve gone nowhere.