September 28, 2021
Tuesday’s Truth is a free weekly devotional shared by Rev. Gary Mimbs
Don’t Give Up – Keep On Going
Our son Tyler recently participated in his first triathlon. He had been training for months and the big day arrived. Tyler is a natural athlete having tasted success in other sports that he has tried. His goal was to just finish the race as he knew that there would be several people there who competed in these triathlons all the time.
This triathlon was a sprint level which meant that there was to be a swimming event that was just over a half a mile, then a 10-mile bike ride, and then finish with a 5K (over 3 miles) run. I got tired just watching them compete. There were several people there who take these competitions very series. They train all year long and have the best equipment.
I watched as a man who obviously does this on a regular basis began the competition by jumping in the water and he began swimming with all of his might the over half mile course. As he began the race other competitors were jumping in behind him in an ordered manner and doing their best. The person who started the competition finished first in the swimming and then immediately got out of the water and jumped on his competition bike and took off on the 10-mile course.
I happen to be standing at the end of the bike part where the competitors, as they finish the bike course, come in and park their bikes after that leg of the race. Then they start the running phase. Some people change shoes as they transition from the bike to the running phase. I saw the man who started the race coming into the area where you park the bike. He came in at about the same time that the second-place finisher in the bike part did.
The man jumped off of his bike and quickly took off his bike shoes and reached down to put on his running shoes. All of a sudden, a horrible cramp hit him in the quad area of his right leg. He literally could hardly move without the pain hitting him. The pain was written all over his face. (I would have quit right there)
Several people were watching him limp in pain and wondering if he was going on in the race. He started to limp off down the course as he watched the guy who had finished 2nd in the bike part start off running onto the 5k course.
The guy who was in pain started off on the running course limping with his leg locked up with the cramp. His wife was encouraging him and cheering him on as he left. Fast forward and it came time to look for the runners to come in off the course and finish the race. I looked up and the guy who had the cramp was running wide open in 1st place. No signs of a cramp just him giving it his all to win the race. He beat the guy who had started out ahead of him by several yards and he was the overall winner.
I talked to him after the race and he said that he limped for about 30 yards and the cramp turned loose and he was able to regain his running form. He knew that he was faster than the 2nd place guy as they had run against one another before. So, he pushed hard and passed the 2nd place guy right at the end, and sprinted to victory.
In life many times we have setbacks and pains that make us want to give up and quit. But if we will just press on and do not quit things do get better. We can overcome these issues to be able to win the race of life. So don’t let anything get you off track on your race to Heaven. It may be painful sometimes but as we carry on God will help us and be proud of us for not quitting as we cross the finish line one day.
I thought about these verses in James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
In love with Jesus – Gary Mimbs