by Pam Condie
In a previous blog, I spoke about Journeys. So far 2022 has made me think about endurance, keeping on keeping on, staying the course – all the sort of cliches we trot out to encourage others who are finding that life has become something of a marathon. The thing with a marathon, is that we usually can’t see the finishing line when we are starting off. It’s just too far away, unlike a sprint whose visible goal is a few hundred metres down the track.
I don’t think I’m alone in this, am I? For many of us, 2022 has been harder than anticipated. Ongoing Covid, Omicron, delayed school starts, floods, war in Ukraine, price hikes, are some of the seemingly endless hurdles we’re all dealing with. These relentless issues leave us reeling – emotionally, mentally, and often physically exhausted. Unanticipated hurdles confront us right when we’re hoping for an obstacle-free run. Life has become an interminable marathon.
I’ve been spending time sorting out some of our “journey” photos and I could claim that David and I’ve undertaken a few “marathons”. Over 40 years ago, we took our three children out of school, hitched a campervan to our XB Falcon sedan and went around Australia. In 1980, bumping over thousands of kilometres of unmade roads, there were times when that journey was something of an endurance test.
We’ve also completed some long-distance walking treks in the UK. I’ve mentioned the Coast-to-Coast walk (310km across England) before. That 15-day walking marathon (in 2008) required endurance and mutual encouragement. While Scotland’s West Highland Way (in 2010), and Hadrian’s Wall (2017) were each less than half the distance of the C2C (154km and 135km respectively) they still required endurance and daily commitment. Whatever the weather – sun, rain, wind – we had a daily target to reach if we were to successfully complete the course.
Another personal marathon than holds great memories for me is the 140km Mareeba to Chillagoe Great Wheelbarrow Race. I was invited (more like “challenged”) to participate in this annual, three-day event as a member of the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) team in 2014. Ten of us formed a relay team and successfully completed the race, physically pushing our wheelbarrow all the way.
If anyone’s asking why I’m crazy enough to undertake these activities, I really don’t have a deep and meaningful answer. I can’t claim that they were in specific obedience to God (although the Wheelbarrow Race certainly helped raise money for Kingdom work).
No, I really wanted to do them. Each one was an adventure. Each presented unanticipated challenges, and each was an endurance test – a marathon. If I wanted to cross that finishing line, I had to keep going – and going – and going.
In the Wheelbarrow Race, unlike the UK walks, I was part of a bigger team. Ten of us ran the race whilst others formed our support group. More came each day, cheering us on along the unending kilometres of road through the bush. There were smooth patches, there were unsealed rough patches, there were serious uphill sections. Our feet ached. Our legs hurt. Our bodies protested. It was hard going. It was a challenge.
In Hebrews 12, the writer encourages us to persevere and to overcome life’s obstacles and reminds us that we’re surrounded by “a great cloud of witnesses” cheering us on to the finishing line. We’re not running life’s race alone.
I’ll never forget the feeling of achievement when I pushed our team’s wheelbarrow across the finishing line in Chillagoe. To hear the cheers from the crowd of witnesses, who were there to support their own teams, or just being spectators, was awesome. All the weeks of training (running around our local park with a wheelbarrow…amusing our neighbours) paid off. Along with the team, I ran the course. We all crossed the finish line.
Each of us is a valued member of Christ’s team in life’s marathon. So with Jesus’ help, let’s overcome the hurdles, and “run with perseverance the race marked out for us”. Jesus knows all the bad patches, as well as the good patches, because he’s run this race before us.
On those rough, hard stretches when we ask God “why” and cry, “I can’t do this!” God hears us. Even though we still have to keep running that obstacle-filled, tough course, he does hear. Jesus doesn’t expect us to do it alone. He’s there, running with us, showing us the way ahead – even when we don’t “feel” that he is. In tough times, Jesus, has given me strength – his strength. He’s picked me up – walked with me – he keeps on keeping on with me.
In Philippians 3:12b-14, Paul encourages us to keep on keeping on:
“….but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Both Paul and the writer to the Hebrews describe the Christian life as a race: one that is not a sprint, but a marathon. This race requires a life of never-ending training, commitment, perseverance, endurance, single-minded goal-oriented focus.
God doesn’t fire the starting pistol and leave us. He’s given us the best personal Coach ever – His Holy Spirit – and instructions for running the race: preparation, strategy, and equipment.
1. Preparation
First up, we need to get rid of “everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Heb 12:1b). Serious athletes wear minimal, light-weight clothing and shoes so they’re not weighed down, nor distracted, by excess clutter. They know they can’t slack off. They’re committed to regular training. And we should view all aspects of our everyday lives as continual training that enables us to keep going. Get rid of unnecessary clutter that distracts us from our goal.
2. Strategy (the how to!)
We need to know how we’re to run. Scripture highlights two strategies – perseverance and focus.
3. Perseverance:
We’re to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Heb 12:1c). Surprisingly, God expects us to keep going, no matter what. We just need to keep our eyes on the finishing line!! But, in my experience, it’s surprisingly easy to lose focus!!
4. Focus:
How do we maintain our focus? Answer – by “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb 12:2). Taking our eyes off Jesus is dangerous: we risk being distracted or collapsing from sheer exhaustion. He’s already completed the race and now cheers us on. Yes, we have to do the running, but He gives us everything we need. Jesus actively encourages, empowers, and strengthens us to keep going through the power of his Holy Spirit.
5. Equipment
The Scriptures
God equips us for the race through his written word. It keeps us going!
“And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his child?” (Heb 12:5)
God’s Word is there for a reason. God has a purpose for our lives; the discipline we learn through endurance actually strengthens us for the race. Just as loving parents discipline their children so they will grow into responsible and accountable adults, God disciplines his children so we will become mature, and able to endure life’s trials and rough times.
Training, struggles, hard times produce results
I don’t know anyone who either enjoys being disciplined or enduring really tough times. But I can honestly say that it’s those rough, challenging times in my life that have taught me my hardest lessons. That’s when I’ve fallen on my knees and wept my heart out to God, begged him to show me what he wants me to learn and to give me the strength to keep going. He’s never failed me (even if I didn’t particularly like the process) and I know he never will.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (Prov 3:5-6).
Pam’s been involved in Girls’ Brigade as company captain, State Training Co-ordinator, Girls’ Leadership Course Director, and State Commissioner. She was awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia in 1999 for service to youth leadership development in Queensland. She spent 14 years on the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) Australia Board including over 4 years as Board Chair and recently completed an 8 year term on the Board of Queensland Baptists. She currently serves as the President of the Women’s Royal Australian Air Force Association (Qld). Pam holds both a Bachelor Degree and a Graduate Diploma of Theology and has recently completed a Doctor of Ministries. She will commence working as denominational archivist on 1 July 2020.
Pam is married to David. They have three adult children, two of whom are married and have blessed Pam and David with grandchildren (now all young adults).
Pam also served on the State Award Committee of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Queensland for 10 years and worked for the Award as a Project Officer. In 2015 Pam and David went to PNG with MAF where David served as Interim Engineering Maintenance Manager for the PNG programme for nearly 18 months
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