Just Keep Running

By CH (LT) Shaun Hembree

We have all seen movies where the heroes are flying high and loving life; everything is going their way. Then adversity comes. Someone bests them at their game. Someone defeats them and gets away, or maybe their significant other leaves. Something happens, and the hero is humbled and realizes the need to improve.

Over the course of a few short scenes, the weeks, months, or even years of training, preparation, and hard work are glossed over (usually with a fast-paced, catchy song in the background) before the hero tries again, and this time prevails. We have seen it time and time again. The hero undergoes a radical transformation to get stronger, smarter, or better in some way right before our eyes in a matter of minutes. He or she goes on to win the race, defeat the enemy, or win back the lost love.

We love a happy ending where the good guy wins, but we get a little short-changed in the process without realizing it. Because the transformation takes place in a few short minutes, the audience fails to appreciate the hard work, discipline, and dedication it took. The writer of Hebrews implores us to run with patience the race set before us (Hebrews 12:1-2).

I thought I knew what that passage meant. Now that I have spent ten years, nearly a quarter of my life, pursing the professional, physical, and educational requirements to become an army chaplain, I have a greater appreciation for what this passage is saying. We live in a culture of fast lanes, fast Wi-Fi, and fast food. We don’t like to wait. For anything. However, the best things in life come via perseverance and patience.

According to Webster’s dictionary, perseverance is the “continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.” I believe the key words here are continued effort. I have learned perseverance requires intention. Reaching your goals does not happen over the course of a two-minute, choreographed segment like it does in the movies. The race of life must be run with patient, continual effort. We follow the script that God—the Author and Finisher of our faith—has written. We must get more comfortable trusting Him, giving continued effort and practicing patience.

We cannot stop running the race, even if we don’t like our results or how long it takes to get them. This is even more reason to continue giving effort. We also make errors when we get ahead of the Author of our script, when we try acting out the next scene ourselves. We do this because we want control of the script, and when humans take control, disaster usually ensues. The lives of Abraham, Moses, and others provide great examples of why it is a bad idea to get ahead of God.

We all want to finish the race, but we must not get impatient. Long-term effort is difficult. We just want to get to the finish line and enjoy the prize. However, for the joy set before Him, Christ endured the cross for us, a hardship we can only imagine. Who are we to say that our race is too hard or taking too long?

Without the seasoning that only comes with time, you will not appreciate what God is doing in your life’s journey. A strong finish requires continual effort despite difficulty, despite past failures, and despite opposition. I implore you, don’t give up on your race. Just keep running! Run with patience. Be comfortable with God’s timing. Understand things might take longer than you think they should.

Real life doesn’t look like the movies. Don’t let our fast-paced way of living deceive you. Good things take time. Faster is not always better. After all, if God answered every prayer the moment we said amen, what would be the quality of our faith? Probably on par with the transformation of a hero in the movies, over in two minutes and totally phony.

About the Author: CH (LT) Shaun Hembree is a chaplain candidate with the Army National Guard. Learn more about Free Will Baptist chaplain ministry: www.fwbnam.com/chaplaincy