Progress Over Perfection

While training for a half marathon, I have found running outside is much more enjoyable than mileage on a treadmill. On a treadmill, as the conveyor belt continuously rotates, you run over the same material, step after step, while staying in place. On the other hand, while running outdoors you cover new ground, mile after mile, as you move forward.

Although you may not be training for a race, you may feel like you are on a never ending treadmill. Striving to progress, yet growing weary while remaining stagnant. 

Often, we expect different results, yet we refuse to get off the conveyor belt, continuously returning to situations and people who have hurt us time and time again. Making the same poor decisions after reaping the same consequences. Proverbs 26:11 says “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.” In order to break the cycle, we must let our wounds make us wiser. 

Like training causes physical pain, we will inevitably endure wounds of hurt. We will trip and make mistakes along the way. However, Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” 

May we be less focused on running the race of faith with perfection and strive to continuously move in the right direction. We cannot finish strong on our own. Yet, His power is made perfect in our weakness. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we are able to walk and not grow weary, run and not grow faint.