03232024 Marathon

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our wise God, who knows just how to make each of our individual paths so that we arrive at the destination He desires.

I was already thinking about marathons, and then this morning I saw news about the Barkley Marathon. It is a brutal ultramarathon held in the Cumberland Mountains of Tennessee. After Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassin escaped from prison, he spent two days trying to escape re-capture. The very difficult terrain raised the question of whether anyone could navigate those mountains effectively, and the marathon was established to demonstrate that well-trained athletes might be capable. But not much! In 38 years, with up to 35 participants each year, only around 20 have ever finished the race (consisting of five 20-mile loops that must be completed within 60 hours, and with the amount of ascent equivalent to climbing Mt. Everest twice). In this week’s race, a record-breaking five people completed the race, including the first-ever woman.

In my opinion, participating in such an ultramarathon is insanity! Even a normal marathon seems pretty crazy, but at least I can understand why someone would want to run a marathon. Personally, I have thought of the possibility of doing a 5K if my health would ever allow for it, and the purpose would be a celebration of recovery.

Running a marathon is not easy, and there is more work in the training than in the marathon itself. There are some fundamental truths about training for a marathon. First, it will take a lot of time. Second, it will require hard work. Third, it will demand endurance and a never-quit spirit. Fourth, it will not be a smooth process, but there will be obstacles and disappointments along the way.

These negatives do not make the goal of doing a marathon bad. The goal is a good goal. Neither do the negatives make the process of training wrong. The training is what it must be. Things are demanding, and there are setbacks and failures, but the runner just has to persevere and keep working toward the goal.

I had these thoughts about marathons a few weeks ago as I thought about the Christian life. The Christian life is not a sprint or even a 5K. It is more like a marathon. If the finish line is maturity, then it is definite that the race will take a long time. The race will demand lots of hard work. It will require a resolve to never give up. It will not be a smooth process.

These negatives do not make the goal of maturity a bad goal. The goal is good. The negatives don’t make the journey wrong. Again, the training is what it must be. There is no way to reach maturity without going through the process. Like training for a marathon, there will be disappointments, failures, and setbacks along the way. When we have one of those disappointing times, does that mean we are wrong for pursuing the goal?

Not to excuse sin, but sometimes the struggles are what move us along the path. Failure to finish a preparatory race along the way doesn’t mean that the race was bad or even that our performance was bad. We ran with the skill and training level we had at the time, and that “poor” race is part of the preparation for the next race. When confession is needed, it is needed. But where maturity is still developing, it is a work in progress, and it can only be what it is so far.

I find it easy to become discouraged over my failures and weaknesses spiritually, but I believe this is a good stabilizing truth. I must realize that I am not perfect, but I am growing. Growing doesn’t always look like victory, but perseverance in pursuing growth is part of the path to victory. If we build on what we gained in the latest training race, then the next race can be better, and eventually, we will be able to complete a marathon.

God lays out the training path for each of us. “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). God lays it out for us, and we just need to follow His plan. “He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). His way is effective and profitable. “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path” (Psalm 142:3). God knows precisely where we are at each moment along the way.

How can we continue this sometimes-daunting journey? How can we keep growing in our training? It is God’s grace that upholds us. It is His wisdom that designs our path just right. It is His Spirit who sustains us and ministers to us. When we look at a marathon, we think “Impossible.” When we lose the preparatory races, we might think, “I’ll never get there.” But God is better than any earthly trainer, and His plan is better than any earthly training program. He knows just how and when to challenge us in particular areas. He knows when to build particular areas of strength. If we will endure in following Him, He will lead us to the goal.

May God encourage your heart to continue this life-long process, and may He grant you the strength that you need for each segment of the journey. By God’s grace, we will someday stand as trophies of His great work. One day, one race, one obstacle, one learning experience, one victory at a time.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA