How to Run the Race of Faith Without Burning Out

Hebrews 12:1 starts with “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,” and then instructs us to run the race of faith with perseverance.

This cloud of witnesses is described in chapter 11 as the heroes of the faith that populate the Bible like Abraham, Sarah, David, Moses, and Rahab.

We are on the same team as these heroes, and their stories provide us with hope, lessons, and encouragement to keep running our own race of faith.

Like the Christians that the book of Hebrews was written to, we too must be constantly studying God’s truth and reflecting on His past faithfulness to fellow believers, so we can run without collapsing amid inevitable challenges.

Just like those heroes before us were not alone, God provides us with teammates to get through the hardships of life.

Abraham had Sarah, David had Nathan, and Moses had his brother Aaron and his nephew Hur literally holding up his arms so the Israelites could win a great battle in God’s honor (Exodus 17).

Hebrews 10:25 tells us that we are meant to study God’s Word in fellowship with others, and the stories of our forebearers reiterate this same principle. There’s a reason the Olympics bans race pacers—we can accomplish so much more together than alone. 

Eliud Kipchoge became the first human to break 2 hours in the marathon in 2019. This tremendous and previously unthinkable feat was accomplished in an unofficial race using pacers because even the greatest racers perform immensely better when supported by friends and training partners diligently planning and then encouraging them along the way.

Your faith is no different.

You need men who will tell you the truth when you’re drifting, pray for you when you’re hurting, celebrate with you when God is moving, and refuse to let you quietly disappear when life gets hard.

You were never meant to run the race of faith alone.

If you’re looking for a place to start, The Redeemed offers online men’s small groups that give you brothers to race alongside. You can sign up here.

Then Hebrews turns our attention from the race of faith itself to the One who ran it first.

Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross.”

In a recent Redeemed Man podcast episode (link), Paul compared perseverance to endurance. 

Endurance is what we often feel tempted to do: grin and bear it…just get through this without bothering anyone at all costs. The exhaustion, fear, and loneliness has to end eventually, right?

It’s pushing through a struggle with no end in sight.

On the contrary, perseverance is seeing the finish line and knowing you are going to make it.

It’s the joy and motivation that comes from having a specific destination or goal in mind and knowing it is growing near.

Endurance says “Just get through today.” Perseverance says, “Keep going. There is somewhere great we are headed.”

When you know where you are going, today’s suffering no longer defines your story. Your failures are not the end. Your pain is not the end. Your exhaustion is not the end.

Christ is.

And because Christ has already run the race before us, we don’t have to manufacture the strength to finish it on our own.

As we persevere towards Christ we realize that we absolutely cannot do it on our own and let go of that expectation, which miraculously frees us to actually fully live.

It is entirely by the power of Christ that we can follow God, grow in our faith, and love those around us as we should, despite the hardships we face. In other words, run the race of faith.

But looking forward in perseverance toward our resurrection and the hope of eternity with our Creator is what fuels that power.

Are you ready to let go of your burdens and run with perseverance, alongside other Christians, towards the hope of heaven?