Always plan to finish

"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way..." Philippians 3:13-15 ESV

Two days before famed ultra runner Jim Walmsley was set to compete in the HOKA One One 100k Challenge, a special event created for the launch of HOKA’s new Carbon X shoe, he offered ten tips from training, to fueling, to in-race strategy, "to up your ultra game." And while I would agree that all of his tips were useful, one piece of advice was especially so, "Do be resilient. Control what you can. Brush off what you can't. Stay positive and always plan to finish." And guess what? By following his own advice, Walmsley set a new 50-mile world best mark and finished fourth overall in the 100k.

And you know, if resilience can be defined as toughness and the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, resilience is the very trait that not only makes for a successful ultra runner, but is crucial to the success of our Christian walk. Paul certainly understood this. After all, he had been beaten, imprisoned and shipwrecked. He had endured hunger, sleepless nights and many other struggles as well on numerous occasions. But get this... Paul was resilient! He never entertained the thought of giving up. Through every difficulty, Paul continued to say, "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on...." No matter what, Paul would continue to run the race.

So may you and I, like Paul, always plan to finish the race. Let us make the decision to be resilient in every situation, brushing off those things we can't control and pressing on in the midst of difficulties, completely positive, or ever-confident, that "the prize" for doing so will most certainly be worth the toil and pain we encounter along the way.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that the Christian race will not be an easy one. There will be difficulties and obstacles in our way, some that may even be nearly unbearable. Through it all Lord, let us stay positive knowing that our efforts will one day be rewarded. And for that, let us keep pressing on with our eyes on the finish line, completely determined to do whatever it takes to reach it. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Victory - Third Day