Danger Zones

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us~ Hebrews 12:1 NIV

I like to run, but I don’t run marathons or other races—mainly because they all take place outside. I want to love running in the open air. It feels much more athletic, more real than training in the gym, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. On the rare occasions I have run outside I usually make it to the two-mile mark before the heat or the cold starts to irritate me and my feet begin to ache from pounding against the pavement.  

The only thing that distracts me from my achy feet and the weather is fantasies about air conditioning and water bottles. In the middle of more than one run I have strongly considered ringing a random doorbell and asking a stranger if I could use their phone so I could call my husband and beg him to come pick me up.

Although I’m too into comfort to run competitively, I have family and friends that run marathons. I find myself intrigued by their experiences. Not intrigued enough to actually go outside in the hot sun and participate, mind you, but intrigued nonetheless.

Nearly every person I have talked to who runs competitively reports a similar experience. At some point in every race they get to a place where quitting feels like the rational thing to do.

 For some, the yearning to quit comes at a foreseeable place. For my sister, it’s the third mile that always tempts her to throw in the towel. She tells me that if she can make it to the fourth she knows she will finish. For others the triggers are less predictable; it can be a lack of training before the race, weather conditions, fatigue, an injury or even a negative mindset that takes root during the race.

In Corinthians 9:24 the Apostle Paul compares the Christian experience to running a marathon. The comparison is apt.  Just as most runners are tempted to give up in the heat of the race, nearly every Christian is tempted to call it quits at some point in their Christian journey. The causes are a little easier to pinpoint with Christians than with runners. They tend to center around one of three things.  

Failure~

Everybody fails at some point in his or her existence. It’s a fact of life. It’s a crappy fact, but a fact nonetheless. All failure has the potential to derail us from the faith permently. Personal moral failure often leads to embarrassment and self-loathing that can push us away from the God who longs to restore us. Professional, parental, academic, or marital failure can rock us spiritually—particularly if we feel that God called us into the situation where the failure occurred. Some of the most toxic failure is the failure outside of our control. The spouse who refuses to make an effort, the parent who leaves, the business partner who cheats us, or the trusted mentor who fails us can lead to a bitter spirit and resentment towards the God who refused to control the people who hurt us. The emotions born out of failure—our own or that of others—create the perfect storm that makes putting some distance between us and God seem like the rational thing to do.       

Discouragement~

It’s a seriously gloomy time to be a Christ-follower. Our planet is rapidly going to hell before our eyes. Christians are routinely disparaged and persecution is growing. Behaviors and attitudes that were once considered objectionable have become mainstream. The rapid cultural shift has caused family structures to collapse, and folks are more closed to the message of Jesus than ever before. This cultural reality, combined with the garden-variety irritations and disappointments that every person on earth has to deal with on a daily basis, has produced the ideal environment for discouragement to gain a foothold in the lives of God’s people. Discouragement and disappointment are the silent assassins of faith. As disappointments mount in our lives, discouragement takes root and eats away at our desire to obey God whole-heartedly. Unchecked discouragement destroys our trust in God, often without our awareness. By the time we recognize the damage, we might be halfway out the door.

Success~

Success is the problem we all long to have, but success comes with its own set of issues. The perils of success are far subtler than the dangers of discouragement or failure. The greatest temptation that comes with success is the temptation to forget God. Successful people rarely curse God, as discouraged or angry people are disposed to do. They may even give Him a passing nod of gratitude from time to time. A passing nod is a weak substitute for the worship God is worthy of. Success can lead to pride and a sense of self-sufficiency that evaporates our desire to seek God for wisdom and direction. If we are not seeking God, we are not really following Him. The writer of Proverbs comprehended the risks of both success and failure when he penned the prayer of Proverbs 30:7-9….

Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; and give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

The situations that threaten to keep us from going the distance vary from person to person, but the answers are the same for all of us. The key to staying the course is connection with God. When we are connected to God, we see trials as an opportunity to see God’s will worked out in our lives. Failure becomes a starting point for future victories. When we don’t connect with God on daily basis, the same experiences become facilitators of our spiritual ruin.

Prayer is key to connection that empowers us to go the distance. An experienced runner will tell you that discipline is the key to success in competition, and a seasoned Christian will tell you that discipline is the key to developing the kind of prayer life that allows us to go the distance.

We cannot control what enters our lives, but through the power of prayer we can employ God’s grace and control how we respond to it.

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance~ Psalm 32:6-7 NIV