When it comes to running any sort of race, any sort of distance, once the race is over one thing is for sure. Your breathing gets faster, your heart rate increases, your body become warmer, your chest starts to hurt, and your body start to tire. It's funny to hear what most people say right after they get done running; "I"m so out of shape!" Now this may be true for many people, but even those that have been training for a marathon, or the Olympics, still have to go through the pains that any sort of running is sure to bring on. What any runner knows though is that the quicker you recover, proves how good of shape you're in. The faster your body comes back to normal the better shape you're in. If it takes you a long time to regain your breath, and slow your heart rate the worse shape you're in. I believe we can compare this to our life with Christ.
Because of our problem with sin, Christ's design of sanctification, and the fact that we will never come to perfection here on earth, we will continually struggle, continually have to seek forgiveness, continually get out of "breath" and continually have to trust that Christ will carry us further along in life. As I grow in age, and maturity and walk down this road of life with Christ, He is continually sanctifying me and bringing me to know him deeper with more intimacy. I learn to trust him more, see him more, love him more, and wait upon him with more patience. Therefore, I'm in better "shape" than I was when this journey first started. I used to think that salvation was a one time deal. You said the words, accepted Christ and then you were transformed into a christian "Batman" stopping evil in your life and the lives of others. I was completely wrong. Salvation is not the end, it is the beginning of this journey with Christ. Just like training for a marathon, it hurts, it's not fun, it takes time, it takes commitment, it takes discipline, it's a process. But in the end the process will be worth it. You may win some events along the way, you may lose some, but all the while your improving, you're growing, you're being sanctified. Your focus becomes different. Things that used to matter don't matter anymore, you become committed to the goal, committed to the prize, you want to win. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) (Only Through Christ's Strength, his doing not ours)
So maybe it shouldn't freak me out when I get out of "breath" sometimes. Maybe I should be paying attention to how quickly I regain my strength, how quickly my breathing comes back to normal, and how quickly I let go of the things that don't help me run the race. But just ask any Olympic athlete, it doesn't happen over night. It takes years upon years of work and dedication. And as believers we have a God who miraculously works out all things in us and through us. (Philippians 1:6) He is the one who will carry out the work. With trust and faith in him, He will bring us along this path and Lord willing we will be able to look back and see that we're in better "shape" than we ever thought we would be.
