I received a voice note from a two-year-old, getting ready for her grandmother to take a video. She enthusiastically said, “Ready, steady, go!” This inspired this article, one of four that will result in an eBook, entitled, Ready, Steady, Go. The title reminds me of the years when at school we had to do athletics and once on our knees, we had to wait for the starter to say on your marks, get set, go! This to me is exactly what happens in our daily lives as life itself is a race.
All of us find ourselves in a race, regardless of age, background, or current circumstances. Life is a race, and I want to share what I have received from the Lord by dividing it into three kinds of races: the sports race, the human race (the race of life), and the spiritual race. It is incredible how intertwined these three races are. You cannot separate the sports race from the human race, nor the human race from the spiritual race. The Word of God (Bible) beautifully pulls these concepts together, as we will explore.
The Sports Race
Let us start with the sports race. While I am not a professional athlete, I enjoy exercising and staying fit. My observations come from personal experience and general understanding of sports. In any sports race, whether you are competing against others or simply setting personal goals, it demands commitment. You might aim to walk two kilometres today and four in two weeks. This pursuit of a goal means there is a prize you want to achieve.
Generally, being in a sports race requires training. You need to be fit and trim. You cannot just decide to trek through a canyon for days without preparation; you likely would not make it through the first day. This training involves physical discipline. You also need to cleanse your body of anything that might hold you back. A healthy diet is crucial. I recall a friend, a weightlifter, who had to follow strict diets and cleansing routines before competitions to build stamina. It is about detoxing and feeding your body exactly what it needs for that specific race.
There is always a goal to win a prize, whether in a group or alone. Even when competing with yourself, you strive to surpass previous achievements. Often, there is some level of competition involved with others. However, sports also involve disappointment. You might not reach your goal, or you might not achieve it in the expected time. Perhaps you aimed to be in the top 200 of a marathon but finished as number 220. Working through these disappointments is crucial, as they can make you want to quit.
Pain is another part of the process. Physical training can lead to aching muscles, and injuries like torn ligaments or broken bones can occur during events. And inevitably, as you get older, you might decide to stop competing. Some choose to opt out because they do not enjoy losing, while others might transition into coaching, mentoring, or commentating, remaining involved in the sport, but in a different capacity. The sports race teaches us about discipline, goals, and overcoming setbacks, providing valuable lessons applicable to other aspects of life.
So, if you compare your life to a Sports Race, there will be discipline, goals, and disappointment. The route you thought the race would take, might involve hindrances or detours. The question is whether you will simply quit or complete the race, with every effort possible, in every possible means, even if it involves changing your goals and direction along the way? Hebrews 12:1 says: “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.”
Keep an eye out for Part 2 of the eBook, entitled, Ready, Steady, Go!
Love in Christ
Princess K