Have you ever seen runners as they line up at the starting point of a race? The image of those runners filled my thoughts this week: the look of determination and concentration on their faces, and the outline of the shapes and sizes of their bodies as they prepare for their turn to run. One race may test endurance, and another may see how quick the runner can sprint from the blocks. Regardless of the type of race, there is also a strategy that governs the race. Neither aspect of the run, whether it is the physical ability of the runner or the strategy involved in running it, can operate without the other if we want to succeed in the race or at life.

We have a race to run! One of the things I’ve learned is that the race, or our life, isn’t so much about the mechanics of the run. The race is constantly learning to work in cooperation with the life strategist who knows what type of race we can run. He knows the exact length of our stride, hydration level, and the shape of our physical bodies and emotional makeup.

The most important part of the race in this life is to learn to draw close to God at every turn, and to make our relationship with Him the most important part of our lives. As we draw upon the One who has unlimited strength, wisdom, life skills and strategies we can’t help but succeed in life. When we focus too much on our ability, we lose sight of God’s possibilities, and live a limited life.

As we face difficult life experiences, our tendency is to run from God instead of running to God. We can’t outrun our own baggage.

Why are we still carrying it anyway? That is the question we should be asking ourselves because any baggage we carry and refuse to give to God becomes a weight around our legs. It creates distance between us and God.

Jesus paid the ultimate price for the mistakes of the past that haunt us, and for the pride that tells us we must fix ourselves before we can invite Him into our mess. The more we try to fix ourselves, the less success we will have. We aren’t meant to run the race without Him.