A Father's PathSample

Fatherhood Is a Marathon

Fatherhood is a marathon, not a sprint. This truth will help you with your children through every circumstance and every stage of life.

There are moments and seasons when we see our children making mistakes or misbehaving. Sometimes, we tend to react with anger.

But if you remember that fatherhood is a marathon, you recognize that your child may just be in a season, and all is not lost. This will influence how you talk and react as you seek to correct your child while also guiding them towards the long view of their life.

There are moments and seasons when you believe you have failed as a father and can never make it right. Seeing fatherhood as a marathon will remind you that the race is not over yet, and you can pick up the pace and still finish strong.

There are also moments and seasons when we look at our kids and think they are doing just fine—so we take our focus off the need to finish the race well.

In 2015, Ben Payne was running a 10k race in Atlanta. He led the whole way and raised his hands in victory just before hitting the finish line. Unfortunately, Ben celebrated too soon and was passed by another runner on his blind side. The other man who won the race later said, “Always run through the line.”

When we see fatherhood as a marathon, we will stay connected and involved in our children's lives, not taking anything for granted.

Examine your fatherhood style today and ask yourself: Am I treating fatherhood like a sprint or a marathon?

Prayer: Father, help me to take the “long view” of fatherhood and to live out of that understanding. Give me the stamina and perseverance I need to run this race well, all the way to the end. Amen.

Reflection: How are you viewing fatherhood: as a sprint or a marathon? What mental shifts need to take place to help view it more like a marathon?