You just ran a marathon every day for a whole week. Even that achievement would not be close to a world record. According to CNN, the Guinness World Record currently stands at 106 days of consecutive marathon running for women and 62 for men. After an entire week of marathon running the total distance you would have traveled is 183.4 miles. Your muscles would ache and you would look forward to an ice bath. Your body would be drained of all energy and would hunger for calories. You are weary and a few pounds lighter but you survived. You slipped and twisted your ankle while it was raining on Day 4, however you pushed through the pain. Your shoes are completely worn out. You beat the odds. You achieved a goal that very few people even try. You may not have been the first, second, or third person to do this but you have all of the scars, bumps and bruises to show for it. You made it! You feel strong. Now what. The dust has settled. Where do you go from here? You would want to share your journey with family and friends or anyone who would listen. Right?
Life is no different. We are all running marathons to get to a finish line. Along the way we get weary. We run cancer, abuse, neglect, grief or poverty marathons. We get beat down sometimes on our journey. Life is challenging.
God never promised us a bed of roses here on earth. He never promised us a perfect life here on earth. We try to do that ourselves with our fancy careers, and all of our expensive material things. He said that this life on earth would be full of trouble.
Job 14:1-2
“Man who is born of woman
Is of few days and full of trouble.
2 He comes forth like a flower and fades away;
He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
I have known for many years that I’m supposed to do evangelical work. How could I? How could this introverted gal from small town Rosehill, NC without a seminary degree do something to inspire people. Who would even listen to me about Jesus? What would they think of me? I had my first child at the age of 15. I was a domestic violence survivor before I reached my mid twenties. I have had my share of marathons. I have spent years hiding from my past. Why should I share my experiences? How could I share the goodness of God’s grace with others?
If we could only see ourselves the way God sees us. Despite all of my flaws God is still calling me to inspire and lead his people. God sees us as wonderfully made. He knew us before we were formed in our mother’s womb. He knows every mistake we have made and will make in the future. He is a forgiving God. He has lifted me up and carried me through many marathons when I could not see my way through the terrain. We should not let our past sins hinder us from doing what God has called us to do. Share the gospel of Jesus Christ. You have the power to pray to your heavenly father and ask for forgiveness and he will forgive you and wash you clean of your sins.
Psalm 139:14
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Right around the time I turned 40, God put it in my spirit, it’s time to move. I felt as if God was saying to me, you have procrastinated long enough. I thought to myself, procrastinated? I’m not procrastinating. Life hit me hard. It’s been marathon mania! I’m still dealing with my past issues. Lord! I am dealing with anxiety. I’m on marriage number two and working and raising my kids. During this time my grandmother, the rock of the family, died. Only a year later my cousin, who was my best friend, died and if that was not enough, we lost the custody case to keep her daughter with us. Only a year after that my sister died. Just a few weeks after that I began learning to navigate an extended family because my mom and my nephew moved in with us. While trying to catch my breath, I finally started a new career that I love. I relocated to a new town. Whew, just when I thought I was catching a break and getting back on track- Oh Lord, a pandemic hit. My dad died within six months of the start of the pandemic. It seemed like family and friends were dying all around me. The world was on fire with hatred. My anxiety flared up. My life was spinning out of control. I was weary. Lord, how can I move now?
I watched time pass me by as I ran my marathons on my hamster wheel leading to nowhere. What I failed to realize is that everyone is battling something. No one is exempt. There will never be a time when we won’t have something going on – never. We battle weight issues, poverty, loneliness, grief, anxiety, fear, depression, disabilities, insecurities, shame, guilt, disease, heartbreak, suicidal thoughts, time management, balancing family and career, addictions, peer pressures, and the list goes on and on. God wants us to give him glory in the thick of it.
My desire has alway been to share God’s word but I wanted to do it when things slowed down and I had time to find a quiet place in nature to sit down, get inspired, reflect and write. I wanted to wait until I was a stronger speaker, and I had overcome my social anxiety. I wanted to have more money to travel and do mission work. I began to realize sometimes we have to move before the dust settles. God will not put more on us than we can bear. Our past obstacles and pain were put in place to make us stronger, to give us a testimony and to inspire people. We can’t teach what we do not know. If you are an overcomer, you teach others to become overcomers. You can not sympathize with someone who is in pain or grieving if you have never felt pain yourself.
A common thing for people who have never experienced domestic violence to say is “I do not understand why they just don’t leave the abuser.” Well they don’t understand because they have never been manipulated and paralyzed by fear. They have not had their self-esteem shredded to pieces. They have not had to bury their voice deep down within themselves. They do not have to fear the thought of fleeing to start a new life with nothing.
We go through tough times, sadness and turmoil. The Lord began to put it in my spirit that time waits for no man. We have to start where we are and with what we have. God will meet us in the here and now. All we have to do is step out on faith and move into our calling. We can start in our own neighborhood, communities and towns. We do not know when our last day on this earth will be. The Bible tells us to be ready for God’s return. If you do not know what your calling is then pray by asking your heavenly father. He will guide you. Maybe you know your calling but do not have the means to support your mission. Take baby steps. Start small and God will multiply your efforts just like he did the two fish and five loaves of bread. He took two fish and five loaves of bread and fed 5000 people. Can you imagine what he can do for us if we step out on faith with what little we have?
Matthew 24:44
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Matthew 14:17-19
17 And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
18 He said, “Bring them here to Me.” 19 Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
Sometimes we allow fear, shame or lack of resources to keep us from doing what God called us to do. Christians were made to worship God and share the gospel. Do not fear coming out of your comfort zone to encourage someone. Some people are just hoping someone will tell them to have a good day. This world needs love. Take your faith walk with Jesus to the next level. Seek God and ask him to show you your calling and then step out on faith to make it happen. God will meet you where you are.
What race are you running and how will you encourage others along the way to the finish line?
