I’m not gonna lie. I run more zealously when I know someone is watching. You ask me to run with you and I’ll push myself harder and run 10 times stronger than when I run solo. Because when I run alone I say things to myself like, “I can’t do this anymore” or “I’m just going to stop for 30 seconds.” And then I pause on the side of the road and wish for cake. Or chips. I love chips. This all hit me the other day during a run when I was near-crawling up a hill wishing for Cheetos.

And I realized. I can do this same thing in my faith-race too. Some may call it hypocrisy. But I call it accountability. I run with greater endurance — up steep hills and over rocky terrain — when “my people” are running with me.

 

 

Designed for Community

We’re not meant to run this faith-race alone. We need runners beside us cheering us on and speaking truth into our ears. We need to show people our skinned knees. Because the enemy loves isolation. He loves to get us alone. He continually speaks lies and accusations. And he does some of his best work behind closed doors. Behind closed hearts.

Then you add in our flesh. It’s naturally bent towards sinfulness and selfishness and laziness and faithlessness and lots of other “ness” words. And our flesh attaches itself to and affirms some of the enemy’s greatest lies when no one is looking.

My point? We’re not meant to “run” alone. We need each other. We need to be real with one another. We need to pour over God’s Word with one another and pray for one another. That’s partly why I write Bible studies. They can be a vehicle to authentic community. We need to run this faith-race with other runners. Need. As in need.

 

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common.”
Acts 2:42-44

 

But just because we need people running beside us doesn’t mean we’ll have them. Fear debilitates us. Insecurity cripples us. And shame quiets our mouth. To run with others means we have to get off the back roads. It means we have to initiate interaction. It means we have to walk confident enough in what God says about us that we can put down our guard and let others into our race.

The Challenge

So consider today a challenge. Ask yourself, as I ask myself, “Who’s running with me? Who knows my deepest wounds and hardest struggles? Who encourages me to keep running this faith-race? Who grabs my hand when I’m getting weary and helps me turn my eyes back onto the finish line?” Because God doesn’t leave us here alone. He created in and redeems for community.

Now let’s go run. Theoretically. Not actually. Unless that’s your thing.

 
Fill me, Lord…

How have you seen the power and influence of other “runners” in your own faith-race?
 

Looking for a Bible study to do in community? Check out my Bible studies by CLICKING HERE.