By: Rex Stump
I recently listened to a podcast which interviewed former Heisman Award winner and NFL great, Eddie George.
In this podcast, he shared about his faith, and his journey of enduring hard times growing up. Eddie dreamed of playing college football, but in high school, he ran a 5.2, 40-yard dash.
That is too slow, so his football coach encouraged him to run track in the off season, to learn how to run. He never ran track in his life, and at the first track meet, in front of hundreds, he ran the 110 hurdles. He said, “I just wanted to make it through it, so I figured I would just lollygag.”
The race began, he wasn’t even halfway through before he fell. Everybody else was ahead of him, close to the finish line. The whole stands were looking at him and laughing.
He was left with the choice to either get up and finish or walk off the track and be done. With a big cut on his leg and a bruise, he got up and finished.
Angry and embarrassed, he made a promise to himself that he would never lollygag again in his life. He finished the season as state champ and increased his speed to a 4.5 in the 40.
We all face setbacks, challenges, and disappointing moments on our life journey. It’s as if we tripped or got knocked down. What do you do? Get up or give up?
The Bible contains many examples of men and women who faced challenges in their life journeys. We can find hope and inspiration in reading their stories of endurance.
By faith, they did not give up. Hebrews chapter 11 gives us many examples of people who got back up and finished their life journeys.
By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Hebrews 11:33-34
By faith, they got up and endured hard times! Unfortunately, when we get back up, we aren’t always promised a great finish, an award, or successful career.
Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Hebrews 11:36-37
But it’s not about the earthly awards. With all this in mind, the writer of Hebrews says, Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And 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.
Our Heavenly stands are filled with those cheering us on. They aren’t laughing. They are cheering. Our Savior stands at the finish line encouraging us to keep going. Get up, focus on Him, and keep running!
———————–
Rex Stump is the Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and serves as a Pastor at True North Church in Wauseon, Ohio.