ME: Lord, sometimes I feel like I'm running in a life-time marathon, racing against time, running against the wind, surrounded by fearsome adversaries, with so many obstacles, challenges, and hurdles in my way. This race of faith gets hard sometimes, and there's no army of loyal supporters cheering me or tossing me water from the sidelines, so I get tired of struggling and fighting, sweating in the scorching sun, beating sore hands against the whipping wind, and pounding hurting feet on hard pavement, and sometimes, I feel weak, weary and worn, discouraged, dehydrated, and defeated, like I'm not in good shape, like I'm not equipped to run this race, like I'm running in circles, lagging behind, going in the wrong direction, just watching helplessly and passively as others more fortunate, faster, smarter, and stronger easily overtake me and pass me by. So tell me, please, what do I do?
JESUS: Be not discouraged, and be not afraid. Have faith in GOD; believe in Me; trust in Me with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Me, and I shall direct your paths. Remember, I AM with you, and I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will stand with you and strengthen you. I will encourage and empower you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand; and I will whisper in your ear, 'This is the way; walk in it.'
Fight the good fight; finish the race; and keep the faith, for there is laid up for you the crown of righteousness, which your Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to you on that Day, and not to you only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Do not grow weary while doing good for in due season you shall reap if you do not lose heart, and remember, you're an overcomer, more than a conqueror through Him who loved you, and greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
Trust in Me more than you trust in others, for I AM your Advocate, and I AM your Provider, and I will supply all your need and quench all your thirst with living water.
Remember, you're never alone, but you're surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. So, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares you, and run with endurance the race that is set before you, looking unto Me, the author and finisher of your faith, who for the joy that was set before Me endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of GOD.
Finally, remember, you're not running in circles; you're running toward Me, and the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all. So, be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your GOD is with you wherever you go.
