Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary. --I Corinthians 9:26 AMP
Good Morning Friend!
What are you running towards?
To run in the sense of the text means to work, to build in-spite of, to overcome, to stand up to a challenge (never backing down or crumbling) and to do it continuously. Some who are desiring something better than what they are in [at times] run without understanding and clarification. Running towards material, non-fruitful opportunities and even some spiritual "appearing" agendas to define how they are ultimately supposed to run their individual race. And we run baby, head forward for what we want. Hitting snags along the way and now things are not as fabulous as they once appeared. All to come to the realization that all along you were running the wrong way. OH MY GOD! That like a crazy feeling to know all you invested in, work hard for and towards SEEMS like it has hindered your race and now you're stuck in-between where you though the promise was and where you were and seemingly farther away from your promise. I want to encourage you that all is not lost...its not over! Set your eyes and will on the Lord's will for your life (not what everybody said you were supposed to be...you feel me) and YOU RUN BABY!
What are you running towards?
To run in the sense of the text means to work, to build in-spite of, to overcome, to stand up to a challenge (never backing down or crumbling) and to do it continuously. Some who are desiring something better than what they are in [at times] run without understanding and clarification. Running towards material, non-fruitful opportunities and even some spiritual "appearing" agendas to define how they are ultimately supposed to run their individual race. And we run baby, head forward for what we want. Hitting snags along the way and now things are not as fabulous as they once appeared. All to come to the realization that all along you were running the wrong way. OH MY GOD! That like a crazy feeling to know all you invested in, work hard for and towards SEEMS like it has hindered your race and now you're stuck in-between where you though the promise was and where you were and seemingly farther away from your promise. I want to encourage you that all is not lost...its not over! Set your eyes and will on the Lord's will for your life (not what everybody said you were supposed to be...you feel me) and YOU RUN BABY!
We have all heard the mantra "the race is not given to the swift, nor to the strong, but to the one who endures to the end." So what does this really mean? The "race" is the process that we all have to endure in life no matter who you are, how much money you have, etc. We all have a race or races that we must run in order to progress to higher levels or to gain the experience needed to effectively run future races. Moreover, these "races" that we run in life, although similar to a physical race a marathon runner might experience differ at the point that in this "race" it doesn't matter how fast you run, or how quickly you accomplish, or how much quantitatively you can boast, but its about enduring to the completion of that process in your life. The winners of these races in life might not be the smartest, strongest, or even the most qualified but they endure through the storms, they endure the nay-sayers, they endure the adversities, they don't back down when trouble comes, they don't give in when hit with one problem after the other. But they continuously run the race set before them, no matter how the cards are dealt to them, they keep running. Why? "Why should I keep going when everything around me is going haywire" you may ask. I'm struggling at every end and even dealing with the depression that can come with continuing to work with no results. The answer is simple and it comes when you make up in your mind if you want to continue the way you have been going or are you going to endure as a good soldier and go through the process that is necessary to come out victorious.
Are you going to continue to back down to whatever the enemy throws or are you going to endure and run regardless of the pain, the hurdles you may have to jump over and the fatigue that comes with not giving up? We are not going to tuck our tails and run the opposite way. We are going to run head on, not backing down. Furthermore, we don't continue on because we think we are all that but there is somewhere higher that we we have to get to and something higher within us (Jesus) that wont allow us to settle where we are. You must realize that it doesn't take much effort to be mediocre, furthermore, being mediocre doesn't yield any change, results or anything fruitful in our race. Ascertaining for higher levels will sometimes cost you and cause you to shed people and things from the past (some bad and some good people/things). Leaving us saying "oh God why did I have to loose..." you feel me, like you have a real conversation with the Lord because you are not understanding somethings. You are not understanding why you should continue to stand and to wait and continue to run without any results. You need to understand why you often times wrestle between who you used to be (or what you are trying to walk away from being) and your destiny (where you are running to become). RUN anyhow baby. Run towards destiny. Bump the haters and those who only speak negatively towards you because usually they are talking about you and your process because they are frustrated with their own race and destiny. So they try to bring you down to make themselves feel better because misery does love company. (That's real talk there!) But you RUN right past that mess and you endure!
My friend, I want to encourage you that trouble doesn't last always and there is coming a great time of retribution for those who are enduring their race and are keeping the faith in spite of what happens to them or even through what God allows. I'm talking about major back pay for all the hell you endured, for the times you wanted to let go but you couldn't because there was something holding you, helping you to continue to run when you just wanted to stop, fall out and quit the race. Even while running through dark seasons know that He protects us, reproves us, loves us and takes care of us. Jesus is a wonderful man to have in your life. He's always there waiting for you to take you higher, but will you run towards him or away from him? Some may say "well if God really loved you He would stop the rain, the hurt and the pain." But I've learned (and am learning even more now) how to glory in my tribulations, because at the end of this thing I know that I will be greater than what I was when I started the race. Know that no matter what you face God is always there waiting for you at the finish line, waiting to graduate you to your next level/dimension. But will you run toward him or away from him? Check your fruit! If its constantly dry and not yielding any change or not producing a desire within you to want more out of this race than just for it to be over--then that's good indication that just maybe you are running in the wrong direction. But if you continue to run and to endure to the end, the Lord will set markers in your life to let you know that you are running in the right direction. Soon you are going to see the fruit of your labor. Remember...you are gonna WIN the race but you GOTTA RUN!
Love and Life.
Clyde L. Webster
CDs of Inspiration In The I-POD This Week
1. Tye Tribbett & GA - Stand Out (In Stores Now!) www.tyetribbettandga.com/
2. Dorinda Clark-Cole - Take It Back (In Stores Now!) http://www.dorindaclarkcole.net/
3. JP & Seasons - The Christian Variety Pack http://cdbaby.com/cd/seasonschristianvariety
2. Dorinda Clark-Cole - Take It Back (In Stores Now!) http://www.dorindaclarkcole.net/
3. JP & Seasons - The Christian Variety Pack http://cdbaby.com/cd/seasonschristianvariety
