I was once on a fast-moving Los Angeles freeway when I saw a man standing in the middle of speeding cars and trucks. I instantly felt angry because he was putting many lives in jeopardy. One swerve by a truck and multiple lives could be lost.
But suddenly, light gave me insight. This man had seen a large mattress on the freeway, parked his car on the shoulder, and, in peril of his life, ran among speeding traffic to remove the mattress. He knew that it could cause a deadly accident.
In an instant, he turned from a fool into a hero. I wanted to stop and give him a heartfelt hug.
Light had shown Paul that Stephen was not a vile heretic. He was a hero. He courageously testified to the truth on that terrible day.
“Run with passion, letting your light shine before men. And never forget who it is that always causes us to triumph—that this amazing race exists only because of His amazing grace.”
And here is our lesson. Paul likened the Christian life to running a race, and like any good athlete, he wasn’t going to let this very real regret hold him back. If an athlete knocks over a hurdle, he doesn’t stop to pick it up. He doesn’t even look back. He must forget what is behind and rather laser-focus on what’s before him because the gold is his sole goal.
Each of us has daily hurdles. Some we can clear; others crash to the ground. But we must keep running this race. We can’t stop and brood. The stakes are too high. We are told to forget those things which are behind us. Like a trained sprinter, we are to reach forward. Many a gold medal has been snatched because a runner has reached forward for the finish line and beat his competitors by mere millimeters:
“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13
It is because the eyes of a horse are on each side of its head that it can have very wide vision. Almost 360°. That means it can see in front of itself, on the sides, and almost behind it. It has a good depth of perception, and that’s why a horse can clear hurdles so well. However, it has two blind spots. One is directly in front of its nose, and the other is behind its tail.
As human beings, we also have two blind spots. One is in front of our nose. We don’t know what will happen in the future. But God does, and He will take care of us if we trust Him. And the second blind spot is what’s behind us. We must forget that which is behind—as scripture commands, or our past will rob us of our future.
For any athlete, the only time a hurdle is painful is when it’s not cleared. And the way to clear all of life’s hurdles is to lift ourselves above them through faith in God. The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 speaks to the fact that our faith in God can lift us above our circumstances:
“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword… out of weakness were made strong…” Hebrews 11:33-34 (KJV)
One of the first things that Jesus said of the newly converted Apostle was that there were going to be many painful hurdles in his race:
“But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.’” Acts 9:15–16
And this happened. He was run over by multiple 18-wheelers while pulling the mattress off the freeway:
“From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?” 2 Corinthians 11:24–29
What an example he left for us. He embraced suffering when most of us want to push it away. But there is a good reason to welcome it when it comes. Every hurdle we encounter builds muscle, and out of weakness we are then made strong (see Hebrews 11:34).
Remember that Jesus said that Paul would suffer because he was “a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” Paul suffered because he boldly testified the gospel. John the Baptist also suffered because of his bold testimony. Scripture tells us that John was the forerunner of Jesus (see John 1:23). He was a chosen vessel who would run before the Messiah with a flaming torch. Now, after the cross, God has chosen us to be His torchbearers. Therefore, run with passion, letting your light shine before men. And never forget who it is that always causes us to triumph—that this amazing race exists only because of His amazing grace.
For any athlete who has his eye on the gold, every resistance that brings pain to his muscles is his friend, not his enemy. Every drop of sweat that pours from his brow is precious—because it is part of the battle to win the gold. Olympic gold medalist, Dan Gable, said, “Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.”
In other words, the pain that comes from training to win the gold works for us, not against us. This is the teaching of scripture:
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 (emphasis added).
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37
