How to Run the Race with Endurance

We often hear our spiritual journey compared to a race—one that requires endurance. This was a metaphor familiar to the early church and is still powerful for us today. But have we taken time to truly consider the keys Scripture gives for running this race well and to completion?

Hebrews 12:1–11 is a passage we’ve read countless times, yet within it are essential principles for success in the race God has set before us. Let’s take a closer look at these keys.

1. Lay Aside Every Weight and Sin
“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”  (verse 1)

Anyone running a marathon understands this principle: shed every ounce of unnecessary weight. Marathoners wear lightweight, breathable clothing and shoes designed for freedom of movement and to prevent moisture buildup. Anything extra slows them down and drains their energy.

Spiritually, the same is true. We must identify and remove the things that weigh us down—resentment, unforgiveness, fear, worry, anxiety, and, of course, sin itself. Sin entangles us, disrupting our stride and slowing or even pausing our progress. Christ came not to provide forgiveness of sin but also, through his life, the power, through God’s Spirit, to overcome Sin. If something is hindering our race, we cannot afford to ignore it. We must shed it. The longer we put this off, the heavier the sin becomes, so don’t postpone or procrastinate in ridding ourselves of sin.

2. Keep Our Eyes Fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of Our Faith
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” (verse 2)

We do not run alone, nor do we run on our own strength. Jesus is both the One who through Him we can begin our race and the One who will bring it to completion. As our High Priest and Head of the Church, He continues to perfect His faith in us.

When our eyes are fixed on Him, we remain steady in our pace, following His lead, walking in His footsteps, and trusting in His guidance. Our own faith is insufficient to endure to the end—but the faith of Christ in us is the Faith of endurance

3. Look to the Joy Beyond the Finish Line
“Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (verse 2)

Jesus endured unimaginable suffering because His focus was not on the pain of His death but on the joy beyond it—the glory of resurrection, the victory over sin and death, and the opening of the way for others to begin running the race and to join Him in God’s Kingdom.

In our own race, we too will face steep climbs and difficult stretches. The question is: are we focusing on the hill in front of us or on the joy that lies beyond? Keeping the vision of God’s Kingdom and our future co-heirs with Christ before us will help us endure even the hardest parts of the course.

4. Embrace God’s Discipline as Training for the Race
“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (verse 11)

A wise coach doesn’t just let a runner keep making the same mistakes; he corrects form, creates drills, and strengthens weak areas. God does the same with us. He sees what’s ahead in our race and knows when we need special preparation. His discipline—though uncomfortable in the moment—is His loving way of training us for greater endurance and producing righteousness in us.

Running Our Race Well
We each have our own unique course to run, but our destination is the same. Along the way, we must lay aside what hinders, keep our focus on Jesus, set our eyes on the joy before us, and submit to God’s loving personalized training for us.

So keep running. Shed the weight. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Hold fast to the joy that lies beyond. And trust your Spiritual Father as a Coach to prepare you for every step. In the end, the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” will be formed in us. And isn’t that what this race is all about?

I hope everyone has a peaceful Sabbath and continues to keep their eyes upward, looking to their Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, their Lord and Savior.