229 Philippians: Running the Race

One of Paul’s favorite metaphors for the transformational journey everyday disciples are on was the footrace. Paul saw the life of faith as a race to be run... and run well. 

The goal of this race is to be like Jesus. And while we will never fully achieve it in this life, each of us should keep pressing on toward that goal.  

There are four keys to running your race well. 

1.     Dissatisfaction

A healthy dissatisfaction with the status quo of your discipleship can push you to keep growing, keep learning, keep maturing.  

2.     Devotion: “one thing I do”( v. 13)

Every serious runner knows that if he/she is to have any hope of winning the race they’re committed to, it will take real devotion. They go into training for the race. They seek advice from other runners who they respect. Often they engage a coach to help them.  

The parallels to the spiritual race are quite obvious. If you hope to run well, you will have to go into training and engage in some spiritual disciplines. You will need to find others you can learn from and who can encourage you (community).  And you will probably need a coach (mentor, discipler, accountability partner) who will push you when you feel like coasting.

3.     Direction: “forgetting what is behind” (v. 13)

I can’t tell you how many races have been lost when runners, rather than looking ahead, chose to look behind. When Paul talks of “forgetting what is behind,” he is saying, “I am no longer letting the past influence or control my race.” Stop living in the past and start leaning into the future. 

4.     Determination: “I press on” (vs. 12, 14)

In a long race, it is often the middle miles that the run gets hard. The excitement of the start has faded, and the finish line seems so far away. It’s easy to slow down. It’s tempting to give up. 

It’s the same in race of faith. In those early days of walking with Jesus, you ran with such enthusiasm, willingly making the sacrifice, but now it’s hard. The miles seem to never end, and the encouragement is few and far between. 

Don’t you give up!  Press on, my brothers and sisters! Press on!

Text: Philippians 3:12-16

Originally recorded on November 16, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN