Running Toward Perfection

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

Most runners will tell you that they are constantly searching of the perfect run. I have run four marathons, each with the goal of having the perfect race. The first one was the ideal temperature but it was very windy, the second one had calmer winds but it was quite warm, the third one was a calm day with a perfect temperature, but I woke up with a cold and the forth one was the hottest October day in the history of the race.

Just as my goal of marathon perfection has yet to be realized, God regularly teaches me this is not the goal I should be seeking. Instead, He asks me to cling to him so that he can be perfection in me.

God teaches us that in life, as in running, perfect is implausible. Yet, we still run towards this goal. What we often forget is that perfect is not something that can be attained here on earth. It will not be found in the most glorious afternoon run or even an Olympic dream finally realized. However, if we set our sites on things not of this world, but rather those of eternity, the goal seems conceivable.

What does that mean for our time here on earth? As we run our races of life, be they going through our daily grind or actual foot races, we should direct our energy upward. Only by focusing on the infinite prizes found in Jesus can our faith be perfected. And, while that perfect run will most assuredly elude us here on earth, when we focus on the perfector of our faith, even our most daunting workout will bring us closer to the perfect prize.