Persevering through challenges

The week, before my daughter’s sports day, we practised her race on a local running track. She had signed up to run the 200m, and wanted to feel prepared for the big day. So we put our trainers on and headed to the track. As we set off together, I explained the importance of starting well and finding a comfortable pace she could maintain. She set off well, worked up to a sprint and stayed strong. Her pace slowed a little as we approached the corner, so my encouragement came loud and clear. “You can do this. Keep going!” I cheered. She held the pace, and her form remained strong and confident. Before I knew it, she was picking up speed; her head lifted, eyes focused on the finish line. She took off, striding past me as I shouted, “GO, GO, GO!” And she sprinted down the home straight whilst I trailed behind, very out of breath!

As Sports Day arrived, parents, supporters and classmates gathered at the sidelines, eagerly awaiting the final race to begin, the 200m. I could just about see my daughter take her place on the staggered start line on the opposite side of the field; my eyes fixed on her bright green t-shirt. As the children took their marks, the horn sounded and off they went! A wave of raucous cheering travelled across the school field, encouraging the runners on. I could see my daughter speeding up, overtaking on the bend. She quickly and confidently picked up her pace to a sprint, running past the others and taking the lead. My loud cheering quickly turned into unashamed and frankly embarrassing shrieks, cheering her on as she flew past me, confidently striding towards the finishing line, winning the race! It was exhilarating to watch, and I felt immense joy for her at that moment. I was incredibly proud of her achievements that day, and so was she!

In this story of preparation, training, focus and success, we can draw out personal encouragement, applying it to our faith journey, specifically within the context of both a post-pandemic world, and as Christians face mounting opposition because of the biblical views we seek to uphold. It is Paul, in his letters to the early church, who uses similar analogies to encourage the believers, and repeatedly calls us to action – to “…press on towards the goal,” to “run as though running for the prize,” and “…forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead.” 

Forgetting what is behind

In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul is writing to the church, expressing what he finds helpful in his personal pursuit of being more like Jesus. He says:“One thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize…” 

The word Paul chooses here is “forgetting” in its present-participle form. He is explaining to us the practical steps he consciously takes to repeatedly lay down his sins, pain and disappointments of the past and give them to Jesus by placing them at the foot of the cross, again and again, so that he can press on. As we continue in Paul’s letter, he later says,: “All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.” 

Paul is instructing us as believers to share in his attitude towards living as a friend of Jesus. In choosing to ‘forget’ what has already happened, I don’t believe Paul is suggesting we should completely erase from memory the last few years, or ignore it, like it never existed. In this post-pandemic world that we are navigating, I don’t believe Paul would want us to block out the painful and traumatic season we all experienced, which affected every life to varying degrees. We simply cannot be in denial about the impact it will have had on individuals, churches and our own spiritual health.

Persevering toward the prize

Paul’s desire for the believers is that we give no opportunity to the things that might weaken or damage our spiritual health and maturity in the faith. Paul knows the danger of dwelling on the past, which can cause believers to turn in on themselves rather than looking outwardly to Christ. Why fix our eyes on the past when the best is yet to come? Why tie ourselves to the past when the future is brighter than what has been? Paul wants us to be found “…straining towards what is ahead… to press on towards the prize for which God has called us…” There is a mandate here in scripture for us to take hold, to persevere despite our circumstances, and to keep going until the very end, no matter what opposition we might face.

Before her race that day, my daughter had to choose to forget that it was raining on her sports day, and that she had lost her school jumper that morning and was probably wet and cold. She chose not to focus on the potential hindrances, but set her mind on running a fast and successful race. Again, we can look to the Bible and the words of Paul and focus on the instruction he gives: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” It is this very attitude that Paul is honing in on across his letters to the early church. It isn’t just about the prize itself, but rather that our attitude towards our faith should be one of commitment, perseverance and determination as we take hold of all that God has in store for His people.

So, as we learn to live again in this post-pandemic world, mindful of the mental and physical toll the last few years have taken, and as we strive to uphold and defend the biblical model for our lives as Christians, let us look to our church families to cheer us on in this race. Paul encourages us to “…join with others in following my example,” united by the word of God and covered by the redeeming, healing blood of our sacrificial lamb, Jesus. 

Finishing well

Let’s take our marks together at the start line and run the race set out for us, without hindrance or distraction, to win the prize. Let us run, daily forgetting what is behind, and pressing on to take hold of that  which Christ Jesus took hold of for us. Hallelujah! Jesus has won the ultimate race for us, living a life of purity but not without temptation. Straining on towards the goal set before Him, He took up His cross, carrying it to Calvary, where He won the prize over sin and death, once and for all. In Jesus’ glorious resurrection, we share in His victory, inheriting eternal life with our Lord and Saviour. May we always fix our eyes on Jesus, championing each other when we might grow weak and weary, celebrating our victories together as the body of Christ.

This article was originally published in the summer 2022 edition of the TFT magazine, Ascend. Click the button below to download your copy.