“Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Heb. 12:1-2, NLT).
The cross-country track looms before you, your personal best time nagging in the back of your mind as you set off. Your legs start pumping. Your breath starts laboring.
You glance around at the frontrunners surrounding you. Your teammate’s focus is forward. A competitive edge creeps into your run, igniting a passion to outpace her.
By checking every so often behind you to track your teammate’s progress, you lose slight momentum from your stride. As you cross the finish line, seconds behind her, your hard work seems in vain.
In this interview with singer-songwriter Natalie Grant, she shares how this exact scenario happened to her daughter. Through it, they learned competition and comparison are not only the thief of joy but a distraction you can’t afford.
But when you set your eyes on the path Jesus has marked out for you and gaze steadily on Him, beautiful and life-giving moments happen. {eoa}
