Focus on Jesus in life’s race

The Christian life is a race in which all can win. Athletes are disciplined and focus all their energies to win a medal. India celebrated when weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won India’s first medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. In games, athletes compete against others to defeat them.
In living out our faith in love, we don’t run to beat others, rather encourage and collaborate to stay focused on Christ. As the apostle Paul writes, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Cor.9:24).
Imagine an athlete taking a step backwards or sideways that would lead in a direction opposite to the goal. You might ask, don’t they know they will disqualify?
However, this happens when our eyes are not focused on Christ; instead, on the storms of life, desires of the flesh, the lust of eyes, and the pride of life. And we lose ground spiritually.
The writer of Hebrews cheers us “to run with perseverance the race marked out for us, and let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles (Heb. 12:1).
What are the things that entangle us and make it more difficult to run the race successfully?Peter initially walked on water looking at Jesus, but “when he saw the wind, he was afraid” (Matt. 14:30). To see the wind, he must have taken his eyes off the Lord, and the writer of Hebrews tells us that we should always be “looking unto Jesus” (12:2). Jesus empowers us to run to win.
Athletes know they must focus on the prize. Sin and minor issues are a distraction that cause us to take our eyes off the goal! Keep looking unto Jesus, and obey His command to love one another. Jesus is with us in the race of life.