Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3
This exhortation comes against the backdrop of the “wall of faith” that enlists men and women who conquered by faith. They are herewith referred to as ‘the great cloud of witnesses.’ Victory didn’t come easy for these men and women; they stayed in the agonizing, relentless race, fighting sin, temptations, and opposing powers of darkness. They counted God faithful and able to keep the promises He had made.
Why Persevere?
There are several reasons why it is paramount that you stay the course and run your race with perseverance. While time does not permit me to talk about all the reasons why I think we should wade through the challenges that we face in our quest to fulfil God’s purpose in our generation, I will highlight a few reasons below:
We are Colaborers Alongside Christ
Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10 that “we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do”. As we walk with God, we contribute towards the good works He prepared in advance for us to do. God weaves our individual contributions, as though a tapestry, to build His kingdom. And our faithfulness, or lack thereof, has a ripple effect on other people and all of creation.
The Bible offers numerous examples of instances where man obeyed God resulting in life and also instances where man chose to do that which was contrary to God’s instructions, resulting in negative repercussions.
When God created man, He mandated them to ‘be fruitful and increase in number; to fill the earth and subdue it, and to rule over every living creature’ (Gen. 2:28). But man sinned against God by disobeying Him. As a consequence, God cursed the ground because of man (Gen. 3:17). We know from Rom. 8:20-21 that creation awaits liberation from bondage to decay and being brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
You probably know about Noah if you have been in church for some time. Noah obeyed God and built an ark that God used to save a portion of the living creatures when God’s judgement came upon the people on the earth (Gen. 6:11-22). Because of Noah’s obedience, God didn’t put an end to all the people and living things with the flood. Those that were preserved went on to multiply and as a result, you and I are alive and we can go on safari to see wildlife.
You may also have heard about Jonah and his antics 😅. He unsuccessfully tried to run away from God (Jonah 1:3) by boarding a ship headed to Tarshish instead of going to Nineveh as the Lord had instructed. This resulted in a tempest on the sea that threatened to break up the ship. The poor sailors on that ship tried to do the best they could to save their lives. First, they prayed to their gods and then tried to lighten the ship by throwing cargo into the sea. All their efforts amounted to nought as the sea grew wilder. When they did eventually throw Jonah overboard, the raging sea grew calm (Jonah 1:15).
Jonah’s disobedience had a ripple effect on the sailors. First, they lost their cargo and almost lost their very lives. Further, they were greatly distressed at the thought of throwing Jonah into the sea – they attempted all other solutions they could think of before giving in and throwing him overboard. When Jonah eventually obeyed and went to Nineveh, the people of Nineveh repented and God relented and didn’t bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.
God is still at work in our present day. This past year I have been serving on board the Global Mercy contributing towards the mission of bringing hope and healing to the forgotten poor here in Sierra Leone. While I am volunteering on a hospital ship, I do not have any medical background and my work doesn’t have any direct interaction with patients and it is easy to forget why I am here. But whenever I watch the patient stories, I see how all our individual contributions work towards fulfilling the mission of bringing hope and healing.
Perseverance Produces Character
Because of the fall of man in Genesis 3, we were formed in iniquity and sinful from conception (Ps. 51:5). But thanks be to God that Christ has redeemed us and paid for our sins in full. That said, while we continue to live in this broken world, we are subject to temptations. The trials and temptations present opportunities where we have to decide if we will go against the grain and live a life worthy of the calling we have received or if we will conform to the patterns of this world.
When we choose to persevere, this produces character. In a sense, we are sanctified as we endure. Romans 8:29 says, “Those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His son that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.” This being conformed to the likeness of Christ comes as we go through God’s refining furnace, where our character is formed.
We are sanctified as we learn how to love as Paul writes about in 1 Cor. 13 especially when we can easily justify why the recipients don’t deserve patience, kindness or even goodness. We are sanctified as we trust the heart of God when we cannot see His hand in the hard and the ugly of terminal medical diagnoses, or when the gift of a spouse or a child tarries. We are purified as we walk with grace and exude joy even when the God-chosen path for our lives leads us through valleys as dark as the shadow of death.
In all these, the ways that we respond to suffering either lead us closer to God or we become bitter and drift away. When we opt to keep walking the chosen path, our character is formed.
Hindrances to Running Your Race
To run your race well, it is prudent that you recognize some threats that you may face and how you can handle them. One such hindrance is fatigue. We, like the disciples of Jesus in Mark 6:31, face the risk of burnout if we are constantly pouring out while we are not getting refreshed. Jesus was cognizant of this and He asked His disciples to go with Him, by themselves, to a quiet place to get some rest. Following the model that Jesus set requires that incorporate periods of rest in our lives if we are to stay on track.
There is a different kind of exhaustion that is rooted in despair. Just because we see and hear about all the ways God is working doesn’t mean that we are immune to despair. Elijah in 1 Kings 19:4 was so hopeless that He asked God to take His life. Mind you this was after God had answered his prayers by sending fire that burned up the sacrifice and sent rain. We are prone to despair when we do our best and it is still not good enough, when we are overworked and under-resourced, or when a series of personal and professional circumstances bring us to our knees. But the depths of despair are not so deep that God cannot get us out.
It is also possible that along the way we forget our why and begin to get sucked into sideshows. We must pay attention to what we are paying attention to. When Peter asked Jesus about what would happen to John, Jesus responded by asking him, “What is that to you? You follow me.” Check the ways your heart is turning and see if your gaze has shifted from Jesus to keeping tabs on everyone else. Ultimately, this is your race, and you will stand alone before God’s judgement. Pursue righteousness, faith, love and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith.
In Conclusion
Time and again, I come back to these words that Ann Voskamp penned down, “Wounded warriors win. There is no crossing of finish lines without things getting bloody. You are so brave to keep facing the light, to keep walking towards home. The scarred saviour will know you are His by your scars.” I share these words with you if you are weary and would much rather give up than keep holding on.
While the odds may be against you, Jesus is with you and He has already won. Hang on! Press in! Look Up. Run your race with perseverance to take hold of the crown of eternal life.
