Running While Wounded

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Service Intro:

In our current series, Not Finished Yet, we’ll discover how God sees us even in our struggles, how He calls us to trust Him with our brokenness, and how we can live with purpose and hope — all the way to the finish line.

You’re not forgotten. You’re not alone. And you’re not finished yet.

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Opening Prayer

Opening Song

Kids Time

Oliver, Charlotte, and Elliot.

Hey kids!

Today’s Mothers’ Day! Have you told you mom you love her?

Do you always listen to you mom?

If you love her, you will obey her.

Have a great day!

Sermon

Not Finished Yet – Week 3: “Running While Wounded”

Are you a runner? For many of us the thought of having to run any distance is a horrifying thought.

And yet, no doubt, some of you also enjoy running like Brother Wade.

What about running a marathon? I’ve run 5 km myself… about 3.1 miles. A Marathon is 26 miles. Can you imagine? Doesn’t that just seem like severe torture?

As if that weren’t hard enough, what if you had to do it, “wounded we might say,” on a prosthetic leg… and do so everyday?

That’s what a young Canadian, named Terry Fox did in 1980.

Terry Fox lost his leg to osteogenic sarcoma at age 18, underwent 16 months of treatment and found he could not ignore the suffering he witnessed in the cancer wards. Terry decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research in a Marathon of Hope. He wasn’t doing the run to become famous. This wasn’t a fundraising walk or a symbolic gesture.

Terry set out to run a full marathon — 26 miles — every day.

He ran with a limp. He ran in pain. He ran while wounded.

For 143 days, he covered over 3,300 miles — until the cancer returned in his lungs and forced him to stop.

Terry was just 22 years old when he died. But his story still inspires millions around the world, and the Terry Fox Foundation has raised over $850 million for cancer research in his name.

He once said,

“I want to try the impossible — to show that it can be done.”

Terry didn’t wait until he was whole. He didn’t wait for the pain to stop.

He ran in the middle of it.

And if someone can run marathons every day on a prosthetic leg while battling cancer...

What might God do through us if we don’t give up — even when we’re running while wounded?

Maybe your battle isn’t cancer. But you feel as though you’ve been running a marathon on one leg due to your own personal circumstances. And, you’re tired. You’re gassed. You feel beat down. Maybe you feel broken… to broken for God to use you in your current situation.

And yet, even in that brokenness — even when we feel like we’re falling apart — God’s Word tells us that we still carry something precious. Not in strength, but in weakness. Not in gold vessels, but in cracked ones.

Let’s look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:7

2 Corinthians 4:7–18 ESV

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

We may feel fragile, weary, or broken by life — but God shines through our weakness. We don't run this race by our own strength, but by His grace working through our wounded places.

We Are Jars of Clay

We talked about Joshua and Caleb last week how they were both old and for many of us, we’d think their time was through, it was time for them to settle in and retire, but God told them there was still land to take.

God's plan was never dependent on their youth or strength, but on God's own power and faithfulness.

2 Corinthians 4:7 – “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

God knows we’re fragile — and that’s exactly the point. It isn’t our age, or our infirmity that limits God’s use of us. He knows our limitations. He knows our weaknesses. Yet we have been given this treasure of the love of God and the Holy Spirit living within us.

And we carry the treasure of Christ in imperfect vessels so that no one mistakes our power for His.

What you may see as broken, He sees beauty that He created.

We all have our imperfections… but a Master Artist creates beauty and purpose from them.

There’s an ancient Japanese art called Kintsugi, where the artist crafts a beautiful pottery vase or urn and then purposefully breaks it into pieces. He then meticulously puts the pieces back together again. The artist repairs the broken pottery with lacquer that is mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum.

This is no short term work though.

The Kintsugi process is meticulous and time-consuming, often taking several months to complete.

As I share this process with you, think about how God is doing this same work in you with your broken pieces.

Preparation: The broken pieces of the pottery are carefully cleaned and dried.

Joining: The pieces are glued together using a special lacquer known as *urushi*, derived from the sap of a specific tree. This lacquer used is highly adhesive and durable, making it ideal for the humid Japanese climate.

Filling: Any missing parts of the pottery are filled in with a mixture of lacquer and other materials, such as cloth or powdered ceramics.

Sanding: The repaired areas are sanded down to ensure a smooth surface.

Decoration: Finally, the cracks are highlighted with a mixture of lacquer and powdered gold, silver, or platinum. This step not only reinforces the repair but also adds a touch of elegance and uniqueness to the object

The artist doesn’t hide the cracks — he highlights them. What was once broken now shines with gold. That’s the Gospel — not erasing our wounds, but redeeming them.

And, the piece is now ready, not only to be admired, but to be used by its owner.

Have you been trying to hide your cracks, your imperfections, believing that your usefulness, your God given purpose is no more?

What you may see as broken, He sees as beautiful and usable, because He fills it with Himself.

Maybe God Himself wants to shine through your imperfections.

Afflicted but Not Abandoned

2 Corinthians 4:8–10 ESV

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

Life brings brokenness and affliction: sickness, depression, aging, fatigue.

Afflicted but not overwhelmed.

Perplexed (anxious) but not hopeless.

Persecuted but not without God with us.

Stricken, yet not destroyed.

Paul doesn’t deny the pain — but instead he reframes it: we are not destroyed. God sustains.

Life isn’t fair. It will hand you some of the harshest treatment ever, yet we are not people without hope.

Pain, struggle, trials may shape your race, but they don't end it.

You may feel as though you are wasting away... as Paul continues...

The Wound Is Not the End of the Story

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – “Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

Our physical bodies may feel like they’re fading, weak, and even hurting... but the Spirit in us is being renewed daily. It is alive and well and strengthening you.

God is doing an eternal work through our temporary struggles.

You can keep going, not by ignoring the pain — but by looking to what is unseen. Running the race… even if it means limping to the finish line.

Run With Endurance, Even When It Hurts

Can you imagine the sure torture that Terry had to run through every day?

Terry ran while wounded — not because it was easy, but because he believed in something bigger than himself. And that’s exactly what the writer of Hebrews calls us to — to run our race, even when it’s hard, even when we’re hurting, with our eyes fixed on the One who ran through the ultimate suffering for us. Let’s read it together…

Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

We’re not running a sprint — this is a long-distance run.

And yes, some of us are running wounded.

But Jesus is our example — He ran through suffering with purpose and joy and He is encouraging you today to do as He did, finish the race, whatever the race is that is set before you.

Keep your eyes on Jesus. Don’t compare your pace to others. They may appear to have an easier time than you, but that doesn’t matter. You’ve been given your race to run, not theirs.

The strength to finish comes from looking to Him, not within. Keep you eyes on Jesus!

Wounded Doesn’t Mean Worthless

You may say, “but I’m wounded. I have a limp. I have a bad knee, a bad leg, or I can’t...”

We’ve all got our scars showing our damage, that we’ve been broken before.

In the Kingdom, scars don’t disqualify you — they prove you’ve been in the fight.

Like Christ’s own wounds, your pain may become a testimony.

Others need to see your faithfulness through struggle — not your perfection.

"You don’t have to be unscarred to be useful. You just have to keep running."

Closing Challenge:

What part of your life feels too broken for God to use?

Where have you assumed your pain has sidelined you from purpose?

This week, don’t stop running. Even if you’re limping, even if you’re breathless — keep moving forward in His strength. Christ is with you, and you’re not finished yet.

Closing Song

Closing Encouragement

You don’t have to be perfect to have purpose. You don’t have to be unscarred to be useful. Even if you're running with a limp, God’s not finished with you yet.

So this week, run your race — even if it’s slow, even if it’s hard. Keep your eyes on Jesus. He sees you, He’s with you, and He’s not done writing your story.

Post Sermon Discussion

2 Corinthians 4:8–9 ESV

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

Crushed - restricted

Perplexed - to be puzzled - wonder why

to be without resources, to be in straits, to be left wanting, to be embarrassed, to be in doubt, not to know which way to turn

Benson - signifies persons involved in evils from which they know not how to extricate themselves.

Barnes - It means here, that they were often brought into circumstances of great embarrassment, where they hardly knew what to do, or what course to take. They were surrounded by foes; they were in want; they were in circumstances which they had not anticipated, and which greatly perplexed them.

Poole - the word signifies doubting, uncertain what shall become of us, or how God will dispose of us; full of anxious, troublesome thoughts about what shall be our lot in the world;

Not driven to despair - not left without hope.

Benson - reduced to such despair as to give up all hope of deliverance from God.

Even in His resurrected body, Jesus chose to keep His scars. Those wounds became proof of His identity and love. Similarly, our wounds and scars don't disqualify us from God's service—they authenticate our testimony. The very things that have hurt us can become powerful parts of our witness to God's healing and faithfulness.