Running Your Race on Cold Windy DaysSample

I began to think about writing this study when some friends asked me about having a season of “dry times” or times when God seems distant, and if I ever have them. Of course, I do, but I sympathized that they had to ask. I wondered why they should not understand the reality of struggle and spiritual warfare that it is to live a consistent life in our Lord or the sovereignty of God and His purpose in our trials and tests. So, I set off to write what turned out to be this study.

We find an analogous relationship between Christ's followers who are running in the “set before us” race in Hebrews 12:1 and the practices and experiences of those who run physical races.

There are times when the training we need to improve becomes boring and difficult, dry and dusty, as opposed to invigorating and motivating. The very disciplines that only yesterday were the reason we put our feet on the floor become a drag, blah, and we no longer have the joy in them that we once felt. This phenomenon happens to physical runners who seek to perform at the highest levels, runners just starting to train, and all of us in our spiritual disciplines. One day we wake up and don’t look forward to making the effort.

The good news is when it happens, we are not weird, and it’s not “all over” for us. Being dry and dusty are not unforgivable sins. We are, after all, human, and for us, exceptional results, be they in athletics, academics, or our faith we have times and seasons of ups and downs for all of us on our journey to spiritual growth. Every great runner has them, and every great Christ-follower as well. You will find examples in the biography of every hero or heroine of our faith, from the apostle Paul to Amy Carmichael to Hudson Taylor to Mother Teresa, George Muller, and, if we’re honest, to you and me.

It isn’t a question of whether we will have these seasons, we all will, but what we do when we have them. Often, our response to what we will call spiritual blahs determines our success or failure to achieve all we want and to do. Dry seasons and doubt, discouragements, and disappointments are unavoidable distractions and downers that come to all of us. Author of the book “Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth - Thaddeus J. Williams calls them the “Damnable Ds! I like that.

You may be in a “down time right now or perhaps you are enjoying a mountaintop season. Both will pass. That’s life. If you are on the mountaintop - enjoy it while it lasts, savor the good times, and count your blessings. If you are feeling the blahs press on and stay tuned, we’ll have some good news for you. So, where are you and what are your thoughts as we dip into The Word and discuss it together? Dry or Delighted we press on!

Overcoming the hurdle of dry and dusty, distanced days is our topic for this study. These “blah” times come to all believers often causing discouragement and doubts, We will use scripture to assure them that they are not weird or lost but just in a trial or test that God is using to prepare them for something He will work for good in their lives.