Marathon, Not A Sprint
Lent on the Run — Day 14
7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. 8 If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. 10 So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. — Galatians 6:7-9
I’ll be honest—I love watching sprints. They’re fast, intense, and electric. The drive, the rush to the finish line—it’s thrilling! Now, am I good at sprinting? Not at all. But that burst of energy? It’s captivating.
But faith isn’t like that. It’s not about quick wins or sudden bursts of effort. It’s more like a marathon—long, demanding, and requiring endurance. Now, I’ll admit, I’ve never been much of a marathoner either, but I did run one once. I started strong, full of confidence, but as the miles stretched on, my energy faded, and my legs felt like lead. That’s when I realized: success in a marathon isn’t about how fast you start—it’s about staying steady, step by step, mile by mile.
And just like a marathon, faith isn’t built in a single moment. It’s shaped by every step along the way—every prayer, every act of kindness, every choice to keep going when things get tough. Even with the best preparation, challenges will come. Some days, everything clicks; other days, it feels like a struggle just to move forward.
That’s exactly what Paul is getting at in Galatians: “You reap what you sow.” If I only relied on short bursts of motivation without steady discipline, I wouldn’t have made it to the finish line. The same is true in life. We can’t sprint through hardship or faithfulness—we have to pace ourselves, trusting that each step matters.
So even if marathons aren’t your thing (trust me, I get it), faith—like life—is about endurance. Keep going. Every step counts.
Lent Photo-A-Day
For the Whole Series
Don’t forget their will be no devotion on Sunday, keep tuned in for the series to continue on Monday.
Very relatable! The marathon teaches much and can be applied in so many other areas. My faith journey is as long, winding and never a straight line! They tell us the distance is 26.2, but it never really is a perfect straight line…as I was reminded last Sunday…I get cold…run into store buy a shirt! Hit the bathroom, off-course and time ticks on! Either way, I have faith in both to kil now I will get there…eventually. Not ever going to be first or the most elegant, but I will get there. And I am not talking about just the race…have to embrace it all and always keep moving.