My friend Seth won the North Carolina Championship 5K this past weekend.
Seth is a part of our church staff. He actually moved to North Carolina to be a part of Vortex and has been a super valuable member of the team since well before we launched.
Seth is a natural runner. He ran cross-country in high school when I was his Youth Pastor. He received a scholarship to run in college. Even after college, he’s continued to run competitively having just completed a marathon on trails in the Appalachian Mountains.
Seth told me something when we were talking about this past weekend’s race that has stuck out in my mind…
“The whole race me and Bill (the second place finisher) were shoulder to shoulder. My body kept telling me ‘Let’s quit. We can’t keep this pace.’ You just have to ignore what your body is saying, take the next stride, and focus on the end of the race.”
If you’re married, there’s going to come a moment when everything inside your natural body is saying, “Quit… This isn’t worth it!”
That’s when Seth’s story becomes vital…
“Ignore what your body is saying”. You have feelings that lie to you. You have expectations that probably aren’t healthy or even communicated. Ignore them and do what’s right anyway.
“Take the next stride”. Don’t stop, because stopping creates a different kind of death. Simply take the next step. Focus on the incremental changes, don’t expect immediate rescue, and keep moving!
“Focus on the end of the race”. Commit to your spouse, in your heart, and before Jesus that divorce is off the table. Stay focused on finishing the race, because that’s God’s plan!
“I hate divorce… So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.” Malachi 2:16
Focus on the finish. It brings everything, even this moment, into perspective.
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What do you need to do to shift your focus from this moment to the finish?