Running Your Race Well

Have you ever been hindered by something? Maybe you were running in a race, and an injury hindered you from running your best.  For the Galatians, they were hindered from running well when Judaizers came in with false teaching. Galatians 5:7 says: “You ran well. What hindered you from obeying the truth?”

Hebrews 12:1b tells us that we are in a race and have to deal with hindrances also; “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”  

A hindrance is something that “creates difficulties for someone or something, resulting in a delay or obstruction.”  What hindrances do you have in your life that are creating difficulties or causing delays in the fulfillment of your goals?  Can it be said of you, as it was said of the Galatians, that you were running well, but something came along and tripped you up and threw you off course? Perhaps it was mere distractions taking your focus off of Jesus, or fear, unforgiveness, or bad associations that hindered you.  When you trip you have a choice to stay down, or get back up and make the necessary adjustments to keep running, even in the face of adversity.

Do you have the same joy, enthusiasm, and hunger for the Word of God that you had when you first started your race? If not, why? Has the fire of your first love been quenched by hindrances and it fizzled out?  Paul in Philippians 3:14a says: ” I press on toward the goal to win the prize….” You don’t have to press in when there isn’t an opposing force ready to hinder or slow you down. Know that you will face challenges and obstacles but you can be prepared for them, not surprised by them.

Let’s keep running and pressing in and throwing off any hindrance, so we can say as Paul did in 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”