Stand Firm

Stand Firm
Author: Michelle Trimmer, Communications Specialist
The Plot - Part 3
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Watch and pray. These instructions seem easy enough, right?  On the night Jesus was betrayed, He instructed his disciples to “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” —Mathew 26:41

To watch is to remain vigilant, aware of what is coming, and poised to respond to potential threats. Unfortunately, the disciples succumbed to sleep and failed to stay awake and prayerful throughout the darkest of nights.

Many of us can relate. We start our faith journey with the best intentions, yet we wake up one day only to discover that we’ve been lulled into complacency. Life is full of distractions and it’s easy to lose focus. Busy schedules, work and home responsibilities and a steady stream of notifications all vie for our attention. Once our focus shifts, prayers may become less frequent and we can slowly begin to drift away from the faith. 

Hardships also affect our relationship with God. We may draw near to the source of our hope and peace, or experience the opposite reaction and turn our backs instead. There are times that I’ve allowed pain and difficulty to strengthen my faith, but there are also periods of great suffering that resulted in me distancing myself from God. Throughout it all, He remained strong and immovable with arms outstretched as he awaited my return.

The author of Hebrews likens our faith to a race:
“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.”  —Hebrews 12:1

Both of my daughters are runners and I’ve been a spectator at many races. One of the most memorable races I’ve witnessed took place last September. The starting gun sounded and a group of ponytailed athletes from five schools took off to make their way through the cross country course. My youngest daughter was in fifth place as the girls entered the woods, with several runners close on her heels. I didn’t see her again until minutes later when she emerged into the clearing, alone. She surprised us all by finishing the race in second place—nearly 30 seconds faster than the next runner—and second to her older sister who stood cheering her on at the finish line.

I often imagine what it must be like in heaven as the “great cloud of witnesses” (believers who await us in heaven) cheer us on as we run our spiritual race here on earth. As Pastor Tim mentioned in his recent talk, “It’s not the beginning of the race that matters, it’s the end.”

What is the secret to going the distance and finishing strong? We must remain alert and focused on the race set before us, ignoring worldly distractions and pushing through the pain even when times get tough. We can persevere by spending time reading the bible, communicating with God through prayer, and connecting with other believers. God is always faithful to lead us out of darkness and into the light. Keep your eyes on him as you watch, pray, and remain strong in the faith.