Run with Purpose

By: John Carrigan

Monday, September 14, 2026

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

This verse doesn’t encourage us to run faster, it says we must run with purpose and perseverance. I understand running analogies, because when I was younger, I ran a few marathons. But my goal wasn’t to win the race; it was to complete the course. To me, running was just taking one step at time and continually putting one foot in front of the other.

If anyone asked me how I did it, I would tell them I didn't run the entire time. I used what is called "the run-walk-run method", which is 1 minute of walking, followed by 2 minutes running. You just keep doing that over and over until you reach the finish line. That method of running was an intentional decision I made, and it helped me avoid injury and enjoy running marathons. Prior to discovering that method, I learned the hard way that running as long as I could before walking was painful. I wish all of my lessons in life were as straightforward as that one!

One of my current struggles is having patience while I’m driving. But if we call ourselves a Christ follower, we must always do what's right, even when no one else is watching. We must also remember that even when we don't see anyone watching us, God is! So, the next time I’m driving and anyone's behavior starts to aggravate me, I’m planning to thank Jesus for giving me an opportunity to reflect His peace. But having that type of patience will only be possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.

If I’m to live on mission for Jesus, I can't let my feelings hold me hostage. I know God wants to do a work in me and on me, specifically in the area of impatience. We're all human, so we'll occasionally get frustrated. But how we respond to life's frustrating moments is critically important. Our frustrations and impatience should only be temporary; we can't allow those types of feelings to remain. God's Word addresses this by telling us we are still in the world, but we can't be "of the world" (like the world) anymore.

Christ follower, we have the Holy Spirit within us! That means we always have a choice in how we'll respond to our feelings. Let's make sure we choose to respond wisely, in ways that are pleasing to God!