Run Your Race Unwavering

Hebrews chapter 11 is about living by faith.

Paul lists a group of Old Testament heroes of the faith and each one may have had issues but they all advanced God’s plan.

They all followed God even though they couldn’t see the promise that was coming.

The good news is that God did not forget them - Hebrews 11:39–40 “39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.”

Today we are beginning a series titled: Unshakeable: Running the Race Set Before Us.

Let’s turn to Hebrews 12:1-2

Hebrews 12:1–2 CSB

1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We are not alone in our race.

In case you have never heard this (or maybe just need a reminder) - when reading scripture and you see the word “Therefore”, we have to ask ourselves, what is the therefore there for?

Therefore points us back to chapter 11 and the list of all those who came before us… for us the list continues.

Think about it, we have the apostles, the other named believers in the New Testament, 2 Thousand years of of believers who have overcome hardships and persecution… all the way up to possibly family members.

The path has been well worn for us to follow.

But this is not just about who came before us… look around the room… we are surrounded by people still running the race. (running in the Army)

This race is not one we are supposed to beat everyone to the finish - God designed us too run together.

Throw off the things that weigh you down.

Paul said to lay aside every “hinderance” AND “sin” - first of all, the best way to run and run well is to not add extra weight to carry while you run.

Let’s start with laying aside sin.

If you have un-repented sin in you life it will weigh you down with guilt, it will cause you to stumble and often fall - stop carrying sin, lay it down and let Jesus take care of it for you - Jesus said, Matthew 11:30 “30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.””

But what about hindrances? These are any thought, attitude, or practice that impedes our progress in the Christian life.

Thoughts (the mental clutter): worry and anxiety- fixating on “what ifs” instead of trusting in God’s provision; Comparison - constantly measuring your progress against someone else’s (this includes other churches); perfectionism - thinking we aren’t ready to serve or grow until you have all figured out; regret - living in the past mistakes that God has already forgiven.

Attitudes (the heart posture): cynicism - a “glass-half-empty” view that doubts God’s goodness or others’ intentions; self-sufficiency - the “I’ve got this” mindset that replaces following God with personal effort; entitlement - feeling like God or others owe you a comfortable, trouble free life; indifference - a spiritual boredom where you no longer fell the urgency of your faith.

Practices (the daily habits): digital distraction - spending hour mindlessly looking at digital media (includes TV) in place of spending time in prayer, Bible study or community; people pleasing - making decision based on social approval rather than conviction; overcommitment - filling you schedule so tightly with “good”things (work, sports, hobbies) that there’s no room for God; isolation -avoiding deep fellowship or accountability because it feels uncomfortable or intrusive; strict adherence to tradition - that’s the way we’ve always done it… it’s a killer

Remember, our life is a marathon.

In fairness, it is a marathon often made up of sprints.

Sprints of Crisis: These are the sudden uphill climbs—a health scare, a job loss, or a family emergency. You can't maintain that level of intensity forever, but you need an immediate burst of spiritual "clinging" and endurance to get through the peak of the trial.

Sprints of Opportunity: Sometimes God opens a door that requires immediate, high-energy action—like a short-term mission, a specific project at work, or a neighbor in urgent need. These require us to move fast while the door is open.

Sprints of Growth: There are seasons where you feel a sudden surge in your faith—maybe a fast, a deep-dive study, or a "mountain top" retreat. These are high-intensity periods that propel you further down the marathon track than a steady jog would.

If you treat a marathon like it’s  a series of sprints, you’ll burn out. The goal is to sprint when called, but return to the steady "endurance" pace of the long game.

How do we run with an unwavering endurance?

Steady faithfulness - keep a steady pace of prayer, Bible study and obedience.

Push through hitting the wall - we will face seasons of deep fatigue or spiritual dryness where they aren’t sure they can take another step. We must push through these moments.

Stay in your lane - Hebrews 12:1 “1 … the race that lies (or is set) before us,” - God has specifically designed your unique path for your benefit and His glory. Because the course is individualized, you aren’t competing with other believers, you are responsible for running the specific race God assigned you.

Lifelong training - you don’t just get off the couch and run a marathon… it takes running smaller races and continuing to train

Let Jesus set the pace.

Fix your eyes - runners look ahead to the finish line - our finish line is eternity in heaven with God but that can be hard to see. So we need to follow the One who has been there and knows the way.

Follow Jesus, let Him set the pace - He intimately knows the course and you, the runner