(Before continuing, read part 1 here.)
The next few times around the running path, the Lord continued to speak.
“Your problem with writing is also DNF – you don’t finish what is in front of you.”
That’s it! I’ve been choosing DNFs instead of finishing the day’s tasks that will keep me in the race toward the goal to win the prize.
- I want to have published books…but I don’t make time to write every day.
- I want to speak and share God’s messages of encouragement…but I don’t use the tools available (FB
Live, YouTube) to do just that. - I want to share the encouraging messages God gives me in blogs…but I say, “later…” instead of doing
it in that moment.
Today when I finished the workout as written, I was the last one done by more than 10 minutes. But I felt SO good that I finished!
I want my writing life to be the same way: I want to feel good at the end of every day that I am still on track to finish the race God laid out before me: publish the book, write the blog, share the message.
Looking back, much of the reason for my slump all along has been my lack of obedience to do what God called me to do. He wasn’t giving me His grace and energy for my daily life because I wasn’t doing what He told me to do; hence the heaviness and sadness. I wanted to feel like writing; God wanted me to faithfully give Him my time and put my hands on the keyboard, trusting He’d provide as I obeyed.
God doesn’t give us inspiration so
we obey Him and do what’s right; He gives us inspiration as we choose to
obey Him and do what’s right.
we obey Him and do what’s right; He gives us inspiration as we choose to
obey Him and do what’s right.
Do you want a DNF by your name on any list where you have the choice and ability to finish? Decide today that you want to end the day confident that you kept running your race and stayed on course with whatever it is God is calling you to do. Don’t give up, don’t take short cuts, don’t look back. Today is a new day, make it count!Difficult times will always come where we need temporary schedule adjustments and priority shifts. But when the temporary time is done, we need to get back up and keep going. Purpose in our hearts that we will, indeed, finish the race set out before us to win the prize….one choice at a time!
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have
testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every
unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us
run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, [looking
away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the
Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One
who brings our faith to maturity]
testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every
unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us
run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, [looking
away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the
Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One
who brings our faith to maturity]
(Hebrews
12:1-2a, AMP)
12:1-2a, AMP)
