"A Different Story"

EPISODE 231

Series: Cross Training • Endurance: Faithful Witnesses

Find Encouragement in the Stories of Faith

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Training for half marathons, I realized I'm not a huge fan of running as a recreational activity. But race day is a different story! If every training run had that same sense of excitement and camaraderie with thousands of other runners, it'd be different. Running Phoenix's Rock 'n' Roll marathon, you have rock bands playing every couple miles, people giving you high-fives, and plenty of encouragement. And the difference between training and race day highlights the importance of keeping our eyes on all the faithful witnesses that went before us.

We're Cross Training to develop our endurance, one of twelve marks of the Master we're working on this year. Endurance comes when we look to faithful witnesses in God's word, grow stronger in suffering, remain consistent, and bear each other's burdens. So how do the faithful figures found in Scripture stir us to endure and keep going?

What You Need to Know

When we read about David taking his stand against Goliath (1 Sam. 17) or Esther courageously outwitting Haman (Est. 8), we find the strength to face our own Goliaths and Hamans. When Job refuses to give up, we want to see how his epic story ends (Job 42) because in his struggles, we see a little bit of our own. And when Elijah feels all the world is out to get him, and no one's on his side, we lean in to hear "the sound of a low whisper" (1 Kings 19:12) and long to know what God will speak to his lonely soul.

In all these accounts about people "of whom the world was not worthy" (Heb. 11:38), we find both encouragement and a challenge to continue living by faith as they did. Because by faith, "the people of old received their commendation" (Heb. 11:2). God could've filled the Scriptures with anything, but he chose to give us a vast collection of stories about devoted people. Why has so much been written about these forerunners of faith? "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Rom. 15:4).

What You Need to Do

Approach your spiritual life like a marathon, not a sprint. Taking to heart the examples that went before you (good and bad!), eliminate anything that slows you down. As the conclusion of Scripture's "Hall of Faith" coaches us mid-run:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Heb. 12:1).

Don't gloss over the sins of your heroes. After all, the Bible doesn't! Recognize the weaknesses and missteps in Noah (Gen. 9:21-23), Abraham (Gen. 20), Moses (Num. 20), David (2 Sam. 11), and the rest of the "witnesses" that surround us (Heb. 12:1). When you see your own faults, take heart, knowing that God can forgive our sins (1 John 2:2) and perfect his power in our weaknesses (2 Cor. 12:9). Though we're all like jars of clay — fragile and unimpressive — he places within us a treasure that shines brighter than the sun (2 Cor. 4:6-7). So we take the baton to run the next leg of the race — joining the long line of imperfect servants giving their all to glorify a perfect God.

And finally, never, ever take your eyes of our perfect forerunner, the one whose name is "Faithful and True" (Rev. 19:11). When the path is hard to see and it seems the uphill climb will never end, remember that Jesus found a way to stand in every kind of trial (Heb. 4:15) so that we can take his route and "follow in his steps" (1 Peter 2:21). Just keep running, "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:2).

Through the Week

• Read (Mon) — Matt. 5:11-12; Acts 7:2-60; Rom. 15:4-5; 1 Cor. 10:1-13; Heb. 11:1-40
• Reflect (Tue) — What do I need to learn from the saints of old?
• Request (Wed) — "Father, help us imitate faithful examples, as they imitate Christ" (cf. 1 Cor. 11:1).
• Respond (Thu) — Look for an opportunity to share a meaningful Bible story with someone.
• Reach Out (Fri) — Of all God's people in the Bible, whose story comes to mind as a major influence on your life?