HAVING BEEN AN ATHLETE, I’ve always loved the athletic metaphors in the Bible such as those about running one’s race. A few years ago, while I was reading 1 Corinthians 9:24–27, one verse in particular deeply resonated with me.
1 CORINTHIANS 9:24–27 (NLT)
24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!
25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.
27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
Verse 26, “So I run with purpose in every step,” stood out to me that day. God wants us to run our race, first, with purpose, and then, in every step, not just in some steps.
"We must make every moment, every decision, and every step count for Jesus."
Every step we take in life should be purposeful. That means not taking steps in the wrong direction. It also means not taking a day off from God. While rest is necessary, we should never take a break from Him.
The Bible has abundant instructions for what path in life holds the most meaning and fulfillment for us as individuals. God has paths for each of us to take. The paths we walk on refer to how we live and what we do with our limited time on earth.
Some people create their own path or sit back and wait for life to happen. Others behave like those without a target and walk about aimlessly. When we wander off the right path, even a little bit, we end up somewhere we shouldn’t be. And the longer we stay off track, the tougher it is to find our way back. That’s why it’s important to study the Word and get God’s directions for our lives.
It’s not for us to direct our own steps. Jeremiah 10:23 (NKJV) says, “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” When we do what we want instead of what God wants, we put ourselves before Him. Prioritizing our desires over God’s will mess up our lives.
The Bible says when we acknowledge the Lord in all our ways, He will direct our paths (Prov. 3:6). It’s God Who does the directing. Our part is to listen and submit to His purposes. We must take the steps He tells us to take, even when it means giving up our personal desires. We can trust that God knows best, and He will take care of us.
So how do we purposely take these steps with God? Author Stephen Covey talked about the principle of starting with the end in mind. It’s really the godly principle of vision. Seeing the end destination will motivate us every day and give us the perseverance to run our race. It’s vital to always remember our end goal, because there will be battles along the way. When the path gets rough, we can’t afford to become lazy or take the easy way out.
God’s purpose must become our purpose. The purposeful steps He has for us include advancing His Kingdom agenda on earth. God’s agenda is all about blessing people and helping them understand Who He is. It’s about leading people to Christ, loving people as He loved us, and helping others grow in Him. As the Apostle Paul said, we are competing for an eternal prize. This life is not a rehearsal, and there is no return. Therefore, we must make every moment, every decision, and every step count for Jesus.
adapted from Haley’s message at Kindle the Flame 2023.]
Author
Hayley Schurz
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