How Am I Running?

A friend came to me on Sunday morning, completely exhausted by trying to meet her expectations at work, at church, and at home with her new husband.  She was worn out without a Sabbath.  I have been rather convicted lately about my own lack of a Sabbath and the consequences (I think it's nearly impossible in this town during football season).  Something has to change.

Then, Sunday night I read the scripture below.  A scripture we've all heard and most of us have memorized, whether we "got it" or not.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.  No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

I Corinthians 9:24 - 27.

God being God and all, He has this way of making scriptures relevant or brand new to you right when you need them.  So, this is what I heard when I read this on Sunday night:

Do you not know that in a race all the runner run (even the lazy or mean people or the people not in ministry), but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way to get the prize (with some thought and purpose).  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training (everybody's job is stressful and everybody has a cross to bear and nobody got a PhD or a good job by sitting on the couch eating chips - whether they are in ministry or not).  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly (saying yes to folks all the time and/or people pleasing); I do not fight like a man beating the air (just trying to survive each day as it comes).  No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others (ministry, but also my attempt to listen to everybody and help everybody and buy everybody's fundraiser item, and whatever anybody asks or whatever I have genuinely wanted to do for others), I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Basically, all the stuff written in purple.  And, had I ever noticed the word "disqualified" before??!!  I felt like God was saying "Hey!  Stop doing all this running and pleasing and helping without purpose and boundaries because it's making you worthless!  And too tired to do what I made you for!  Everything is permissible but not beneficial - even when it comes down to stuff that's not "bad".  Don't get disqualified from the race because you're only thinking of and checking on the other runners!  You need to get to the finish line too".

I understand that this could easily wreak of false humility.  I'm not saying I'm Mother Teresa and God has asked me to stop helping others.  I'm saying running without purpose does not get you the prize and I've been more likely to flutter about and people watch or stop to hand out water just for fun than I have been to run the race.  Or that I've nominated myself as official fire-putter-outter when there are other firemen standing around.  And I'm not planning for rest and sabbath.

God, let me run to win the prize.