Hebrews 12:1 "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 us, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus..."
It was fall of 1985 and I had entered the Seal Beach Triathlon. I was celebrating turning 40 and marking my 5 year survival of colon cancer. What better way to do it than to try something new and challenging! I barely managed the 1K swim from the jetty to the pier and by the time I got on my bike for the 20K ride, the crowd of 600+ contestants had thinned out dramatically. I did fine on the bike ride, but when I dismounted and began the 10K run, I knew I was in trouble. My legs felt like soggy spaghetti noodles. How was I ever going to "run" for an hour? Then I saw my wife, Joan, in my mind's eye, waiting for me at the finish line. I had to do it, and keeping her as my focus, I found a pace that I thought I could maintain. Putting one foot in front of the other, I finished the race and fell into the arms of my beautiful wife.
My spiritual life is much like that triathlon. There are times when it feels comfortable and I'm cruising along at a good pace. Then I hit a difficult stretch and find myself wondering how in the world I can keep going. First, I have to make sure I'm not carrying the extra weight of guilt, harmful habits, bad attitudes, and strained relationships. Then I check to see if I've gotten tangled up in some unconfessed sin. Finally, I look to the finish line and focus on Jesus, who is waiting there to welcome me. With the Holy Spirit's help and energy, I find my pace and just keep moving forward in faith. Try it. It works!
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