It’s been said that the race of faith isn’t a sprint but a marathon. However, I submit that it’s neither sprint nor marathon, because in truth it’s more like an endurance race. To be clear, I mean no disrespect to anyone’s appreciation of the marathon illustration, but for me, after revisiting Hebrews chapters 11-12, the racing visual took on new meaning. Unlike a marathon course that requires runners to steadily work their way through an urban or country landscape, the race of faith is more like one of those off-road races that go on for nearly a 1,000 miles, or a team obstacle course with different stages, contrasting venues, varying challenges, and weather difficulty. There can be times of great fatigue, welcome moments of rest and refueling, daunting challenges that require a teammate, cuts, bruises, and a nagging temptation to quit.

Perhaps today, you feel like you’ve been grinding through an endurance race, if so, the writer of Hebrews has some encouraging words for you:

“…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” Hebrews 12:1b-2a NKJV

Let me also encourage you to take the race one-day-at-a-time, find joy in the little things, set small achievable goals, and trust the Lord with the results.