One foot in front of the other...

The race was on. People all around me were just as excited as I was. I felt good, I felt really good. Everyone was encouraging and running along right beside me.

I was strong. I was knocking the markers of my race down quickly. Nothing could stop me. I did notice however, that there wasn't as many people around me as when I started.

The elation and excitement started to subside as I got deeper into the race. I started to get a little comfortable and settled in nicely. Once again however, the crowd thinned out a little more.

I started to feel a little pain that seemed like it was holding me back a little. It would come and go, but each time it came it would be a little more intense and hold me back a little more. I knew that I had to just trust that I could move past this pain.

The race started to get tough, but I was managing. Then I saw it. The hill. The biggest test yet. It seemed insurmountable. I started to wonder if I made the right decision. If this race was really worth it.

Once I made it over the hill, I felt much better and was able to look forward to what was next. There were a few people around me for the hill. They made it with me.

Suddenly, I noticed that I was alone. Not only was I alone, I was walking. I was still moving in the race, but it was at a snails pace. I felt awful. Felt like I let myself down.

Along the sides were people who had quit. They had enough and had given up. I looked at them and thought about joining them, but I didn't see relief on their faces. Just exhaustion. Perhaps if people were around to just give them encouragement they wouldn't have quit.

Every now and then I would start running again, but I have to be honest, I wanted to just be comfortable at this point. To just sit back and watch instead of persevering, but I kept putting one foot in front of the other.

Why?

Because there was something at the end waiting for me.

Then I realized that I wasn't alone at all. There were people all around me going through the same thing I was going through. I just focused so much on my own pain, that I failed to see them. I pulled strength knowing that I wasn't alone after all.

Then I turned a corner and saw it. I will never forget the feeling of seeing it.

The finish line.

I could barely move, beaten up from the race, but there was no stopping me. I was going to finish. People that had already finished were lined up, screaming for me to keep going. I was almost there.

With tears welling up in my eyes, it all became worth it. I crossed the finish line. I had run the race. The end was the best part.

I will tell you about my experience running a marathon another time, this was about living the Christian life.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. - Hebrews 12:1

If you have given up and are on the sidelines just watching, I pray that God's love will surround you and you would know that you aren't alone.