Hebrews 12: 1-3 Running the race: encountering and persisting through discomfort

"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, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Last week on Pentecost Sunday, I spoke briefly about spiritual practices being one way that we ready our hearts to be set on fire by the Spirit. I’ve recently reclaimed one of these practices in my own life: running. For some, it might be like an anti-spiritual practice, but for me it works.

It also happens to be an image the author of Hebrews uses to convey something about the Christian life. So I’ve been letting this image stir in me this week as I begin again to develop the spiritual discipline of running. Like many worthwhile things in life- it requires practice and perseverance. There’s this moment during a run when I want to give up. Do you know this feeling? You’ve come a long way, but your legs begin to weary, and you see how far you are from the finish. And that’s when the discomfort sets in.

And I want to stop. Walk. Maybe head back altogether and say, “to heck with running. It’s too hard.” Here’s the truth, though, it’ll never get easier until I decide to push through the discomfort. Until I believe I have it in me. Until I know it’s worth it. Until I get that my muscles and my lungs- they actually increase in capacity as I lean into what is hard.

On Thursday, I developed a mantra for myself (a little weird, maybe, but it works for me)- it steadies my pace and increases my perseverance. Here it is: chin up. Abs in, full stride, pump those arms. And I need it. When the going gets hard, I need constant reminders that pushing through discomfort actually makes me stronger.

In this season, we have many races to run. Sorting out this new world in the midst of (and hopefully one day post-) Covid-19. A fresh reckoning with the racism that has been a part of our DNA as a nation since the beginning. Political tensions running high. Mistrust of one another. An economic crisis that increases anxiety about the future (especially for those in low-wage jobs), and in the midst of it all, we’re just trying to tend to one another; be present to our families; deal with everyday struggles.

I have days this race feels too hard to run, I know. So did the early Christian who writes in Hebrews about how we run with perseverance. So what motivates this guy? Jesus. “The pioneer and perfecter of faith. Of all people, Jesus knows what it’s like to persevere. He could have quit. He didn’t have to finish dragging that cross up the hill. He had the internal power to shift everything around him for his own comfort- and still he chose to give his life. “For the joy set before him.” What was that joy? To give humanity hope. To tackle injustice by enduring the ultimate injustice: death at the hands of power. And this legacy Jesus leaves is meant to motivate us to run the race of our lives (and maybe sometimes on behalf of one another) without growing weary or losing heart.

In the light of what Jesus endured, having a difficult conversation about political differences doesn’t seem quite as hard. In the light of what Jesus endured, gathering in a park rather than a sanctuary, or wearing a mask, standing 6 feet apart, it seems like a cake walk. In the light of what Jesus endured, giving up my comfort to work toward the full dignity of my friends and neighbors of color seems like a no-brainer. Thank you, Jesus, for being the pioneer of faith, so that we know the race is not always easy, but it is worth it.

Here’s the best truth of all- when we choose to persevere in these practices, when we refuse to stay in our comfort zones, when we have hard conversations and push through- we actually grow. We learn something new about ourselves and our God of all creation. Our spiritual muscles and lungs increase in capacity, and slowly, at the pace we are capable of sustaining, we get stronger- so long as we keep at it.

That’s the race we’re in, friends. A marathon, not a sprint. And we needn’t push to the point of injury (because let’s face it, we’re more likely to quit if we do), we simply push through the discomfort that keeps us from real change. One run, one conversation, one prayer, one change of heart, one new friend, one educational opportunity at a time. And before you know it, we are stronger- and the world around us is too.

So let’s consider what our unique and collective race might be. If we’re wondering, the answer might lie in the moments that we’ve experienced discomfort the past few weeks and months. Those are the races that require true perseverance. Are you ready? Let’s run, fixing our eyes on Jesus. He has shown you, O Mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

The race is clear- the way is hard, which is why we need one another. When I get weary in helping God bring kingdom life on earth as it is in heaven, I need you to inspire me to reach beyond my comfort zone. Will you do that for me? Let’s run this race, side by side, a great cloud of witnesses. Chin up, abs in, full stride, pump those arms. Amen.