Our Race Is Not Over

What do we do when we hit a wall? How have we responded when something in life has derailed our race? We still have all the passion we had when we started the race, but our figurative vehicle is in shambles and we have to head back to the pits or to the garage to race another day.

So many things can throw us into the wall and send us spinning. Financial stress, relational conflict, addiction, job loss, illness and a host of other problems can take us out of the race. If you’re feeling broken down and idling on the sidelines while everyone else seems to race past you, you’re not alone.

God calls us to look to him in the midst of these “crash” incidents, which we all have: 2 Corinthians 4:8–9 says, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” The apostle Paul and his partners in ministry knew what it was like to hit the wall, yet they kept their eyes on God and their focus on the greater goal of living a faithful Christian life.

While the circumstances of our lives may have temporarily sidelined us, our race is not over. Relying on God’s strength, we have what we need to get back up, dust ourselves off, and join the race again.

And once we’re back behind the wheel with the gears engaged and the throttle down, we’ll be able to thank God, the one who helped us get back on track.

From the NIV Fuel for the Race of Life New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs.