Young People's Group

RUNNING THE RACE OF LIFE WELL

by Pastor Mitch
July 31, 2005

Running A “Gold” Performance

The elated scene at the finish line was never forgotten even after many years. It was my 2.4 km run proficiency test during my Basic Military Training. When I strongly crossed the finish line, my time was clocked at 9:30 minutes. It was my first ever “gold” performance. It brought great joy to my heart. On a similar note, I have often asked myself whether I will feel such joy when I finish the race of life. Would I run it well? Would I do my best for the Lord and give Him a “gold” performance? I personally am determined do so. Young people, you too can seek to do well in this race of life. We can do well in all that we do in life and ministry. How can we do this?

1. Cultivating A Winning Attitude

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”
1 Corinthians 9:24

Winning involves our attitude. Good runners run with the attitude that they will win and not lose. It is so easy to run the race of life with a wrong and defeated attitude. If we run and persevere in this race of life, all of us will be winners. Our part is not to give up. So let’s just run and run well.

2. Exercising Self-Control

“And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.”
1 Corinthians 9:25

The word “temperate” in Greek means self-control. The person who wants to compete well in the race must learn to exercise self-control. He cannot allow himself to eat whatever he wants nor to train as and when he wants. A Christian runner must master his will. He must be temperate in everything that he does.

3. Focusing On A Heavenly Prize

“Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”
1 Corinthians 9:25

What are we really running for in life? Runners of this world run to win a prize that is perishable. However, for the Christian runner, we run to win a prize that will last throughout eternity. Our challenge is to focus on the heavenly prize that God will give us. Let’s run well that we may obtain this eternal prize one day.

4. Practising Personal Discipline

“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection”
1 Corinthians 9:27

Knowing what we are running for, let’s spare no effort in chasing after this goal. Paul wrote of how he personally “beat” his body into shape and conformed his life to doing what God wanted him to do. If we want to run the race of life well, we must exercise personal discipline in walking with the Lord, reading His word and praying. Young people, let’s not be one of the “also ran”. Let’s discipline our body that we may run well.

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