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. 1 Corinthians 9:24

I remember my first real job interview. When I say “real job interview” I mean that it was the first interview for a job that I really wanted. It was the job interview that I had worked 4 years to get. I had my degree and finally had the opportunity to meet some future employers. My future rode on this one interview. We had spent the weeks leading up to this moment being groomed by our lecturers. We had discussed possible questions and answers, we had role played and had done everything we thought possible to land the prize that we had worked to win and there was only a limited number.
The job interview was useless without the 4 years of hard work or training that went before hand. Like athletes we had spent a lot of time learning the way and preparing our minds. This was the moment to shine. So, as I was sitting there being asked all these questions, I realised that I had not run my race (or 4 years of training) to win. My mind went blank. The things I was supposed to know seemed to elude me and I came across as clumsy, untrained and not prepared. I did not win my race that day! The disappointment in myself took along time to get over. If only I had tried harder, if only I had said this, if only I knew what they meant… the words went around and around.
Now I am no longer upset. Far from it. I know that the Lord has used this circumstance for His good. He has blessed me with another race to run which has been more than I could have ever expected. But sometimes I reflect back upon that moment and look at all the distractions I had during that time. How easily I was led astray or I would start to run other races I didn’t need to or I would simply give up and rest because I didn’t feel like it. I let excuses and distractions fill my days so that by the end of the race I was completely lost.
This year God is calling me to run a different path. The daily race I run for Him is getting more complicated with new and more difficult challenges. There are going to be the same moments of doubt, uncertainty, distraction and detour as last time. This time I am not sure when or where the end will be. However I am not going to let them hinder me. I am going to run my race so that I can win it. And this is the one thing that I will carry with me – the knowledge that everything that I do, everything that I win; it is for the glory of the Lord.