It just keeps coming

Michael W.
Oct 25
3 min read

Running a marathon

The gun fires, and we start running. Not a sprint, but a marathon—the race of life.

The Christian journey, as the writer of Hebrews describes it, is a marathon: "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1, ESV). It’s a road paved with purpose, but also with potholes, uphill stretches, and moments where every part of you screams, Stop.

Endurance isn't just about surviving; it’s about thriving in the persistent tension of a life that "just keeps coming." To finish strong, we must train our bodies, minds, and spirits.

1. Physical Endurance: The Discipline to Keep Moving

In a marathon, you can’t run 26.2 miles without training. It takes daily discipline—early mornings, sore muscles, and pushing past comfortable limits. The spiritual life requires the same physical commitment to intentional practice.

Paul often used athletic metaphors, urging us to "discipline my body and keep it under control" (1 Corinthians 9:27). This isn't just about avoiding sin; it’s about actively engaging the physical self in the work of faith:

Pacing Yourself: Recognizing that God's strength is sufficient for today's mile, not worrying about the miles ahead.
Worship: Using our bodies in acts of service, prayer, and worship, understanding that our physical actions feed our spiritual stamina.

When fatigue hits—the physical exhaustion of work, family, or ministry—remember that our bodies are temples, and caring for them is a component of disciplined endurance. The finish line demands movement, even when that movement is slow.

2. Mental Endurance: The Battle on the Wall

Every runner hits "the wall," usually around mile 20. It's less a physical breakdown and more a mental surrender. Doubt whispers: This is too hard. You aren’t fast enough. Just walk.

The mental endurance required to silence that voice is the spiritual discipline of setting our minds. Our race is won or lost in the space between our ears.

Scripture calls us to an enduring mental focus: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" (Philippians 4:8, NIV).

Focus on the Truth: When the enemy of your soul (or your own self-doubt) tells you you're a failure, you endure by recalling the truth of God’s Word—that you are loved, forgiven, and strong in Christ.
Shedding Weight: The runner sheds excess weight; we must continually shed the mental baggage of past failures, comparison, and anxiety (Hebrews 12:1 calls this the "sin which clings so closely").

Mental endurance means actively choosing God’s promises over your temporary feelings of inadequacy or despair.

3. Emotional Endurance: Running Through the Pain

The hardest part of the marathon isn't the distance; it's the inevitable, gut-wrenching pain of trials that hit when you least expect them. Life brings periods of grief, betrayal, loss, and waiting—the emotional "sidestitches" that make every breath agony.

Emotional endurance is perseverance through these unavoidable trials, knowing they have a purpose beyond the pain.

James tells us to count it "all joy... when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness [endurance]. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4, ESV).

This kind of endurance is not stoicism. It is gospel-centered hope:

Renewed Daily: We are assured that though our "outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16). The emotional well-being we seek comes not from our own reserves, but from a divine refill.
The Comfort of Community: No runner is entirely alone. We run alongside a "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1). Leaning into our Christian community provides the emotional aid station we need when we feel like dropping out.

Keep Looking to the Finish Line

How do we find the strength to endure, mile after mile, year after year? We fix our eyes on the ultimate example of endurance.

The next verse in Hebrews 12 provides the blueprint: "...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" (Hebrews 12:2, ESV).

Jesus didn't just survive the race; He perfected it. He endured the ultimate physical, mental, and emotional anguish because of the joy—the prize of our redemption—that awaited Him.