10 Best Ways of Running and Winning the Race of Life
Are you looking for the Best Ways of Winning the Race of Life? You’re in the right place. 
Life is a race with a starting line and a finishing line. Others start weak and end up strong while others start strong and don’t manage to finish well.
No matter how you start, you want to finish well, right? While the ultimate prize is important, the journey to the finish line also matters.
Each of us has our own race to run in our own lane. We can support others in their race and they can support us as well but we have to remain focused and committed and make choices for our race on a daily basis.
Once you realize that life is a race you realize that adequate preparation is key. With my own experience in running and the word of God, you’ll be empowered with tips and strategies for how to prepare for the race and win it. These are the 10 Best Ways of Running and Winning the Race of Life.
Running My Marathon Race
A few years ago, I was in Utah for the St. George Marathon. What a thrill of a race! It is probably my favorite race so far, I may have even enjoyed it more than the Boston Marathon in 2016 (though Boston is extra special to me because of what it took to get there).
This race begins at the peak of the mountains in Snow Canyon State Park, and brilliant colors of red, cream, and black cover the mountains. The scenery was picture-perfect, and the atmosphere was electric.
When I got home from that race and trip, I was at our homeschool community day, and one of the girls came up to me and asked me if I had won the race. At first, I was taken aback by the question because, of course, I didn’t win the race! But I thought about her question for a minute, and I answered her with, “I won MY race because I became a better me.”
She seemed to like that answer, but the question she asked stood out to me, and I had to take some time to reflect on what I told her. I indeed became a better me out there.
I trained hard and fought through obstacles to be prepared for race day. My goals were massive. I wanted a personal best time so l chose to become better. It took digging deep and getting mentally tough, but I stuck it out.
So, no, I didn’t win the race, but I won MY race because I ran it well. I trained for it and stuck it out to the finish line. I never gave up on myself — even though I wanted to many times throughout the race.
10 Best Ways of Running and Winning the Race of Life
Most people love watching sports. Whether it’s the Olympic games, Super Bowl, or Wimbledon Championships. It connects us to a wider world, providing a sense of community and an escape from real life too.
When we watch these sports we normally just get together without much preparation in advance. But when you’re the one participating in the sports you need to to intentionally prepare in advance and have a plan for how you’ll win.
From my own experience with participating in races, there are certain strategies l learned and would like to share with you. Combined with the wisdom from God’s word these are the 10 Best Ways to Win the Race of Life
1. Prepare to run and win the race
No one wins the race set before them by chance but by preparation. Preparing mentally, emotionally, and physically for an athletic event or race is necessary. It takes time. You have to plan and be dedicated to crossing that finish line.
The spiritual life also needs preparation. You prepare your mind through reading the word of God, prayer, worship, and fellowship. You prepare yourself physically by being in the right places that serve your purpose.
When you prepare to win mentally and have faith, the favor of God will be upon you and you’ll succeed. Through the power of God, you’ll be equipped to accomplish your purpose.
“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.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 NIV
2. Obey the rules
To participate in a race you have to obey the rules. There are age limits, devices that are not allowed, routes to follow, and certain conduct that’s expected. When you follow the rules, your chances of success increase.
As Christians, God’s laws are the only way to win our life race. The Bible is our manual with everything that we need to know about our faith, and how to live, think and treat others.
We are not left lost and wondering but through the grace of God, we have received life instructions that will propel us to success. Obey God and you’ll win the race of life.
3. Throw off everything that hinders you
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1 NIV
One of the keys to successfully running a marathon race or any other race is to have the right gear. Carrying a heavy backpack or wearing a dress, robe or big jacket will slow you down. The lighter the clothes, the faster the runner.
To run the race of life, we need to cast our burdens down at the foot of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This can be past hurts, disappointments, temptation, or the weight of sin that’s clinging to you and preventing you from success. It can even be small things like gossip, being stuck in the comparison trap, or swearing.
4. Be encouraged by those who already won the race
All good athletes know that there is so much power in support. When spectators, family, or friends cheer for you, it gives you a renewed burst of energy to finish the race strong.
To perform well, athletes also take note of the tips and strategies of those who won similar races in the past and won. They provide inspiration and encouragement that it can be done.
In the race of faith, we already have all the heroes and heroines of faith listed in Hebrews 11 cheering for us. They ran their race to the finish line and from their lives we can be encouraged. They are our example to follow with our Lord Jesus Christ being the greatest example of all.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1 NIV
While you have your own life to live with your own individual purpose to pursue, you need good friends and family to support and encourage you, especially in difficult times. These should be wise people who want the best for you and can cheer you on.
5. Develop Strict Discipline
As a runner l can tell you that we develop discipline in our lives and make time for our goals. Determination seeps out of us, and our desire to win overtakes our laziness. We have a vision and plan and won’t stop until we achieve it.
We go through strict training for a marathon run and run with all we have. On top of that, we learn to manage our time, nutrition, and training schedule.
A believer’s race needs to include spiritual disciplines to grow your faith and win the race. These include your quiet time, prayer, going to church, Bible study, gratitude, stewardship, and service to God. As you become disciplined you develop daily habits and routines that will propel you to succeed in the race of life.
The writer of Hebrews acknowledges that discipline is not easy but we remember that it’s necessary to produce fruit. We can therefore ask the Holy Spirit to empower us, encourage and support us every step of the way.
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)
6. Avoid comparisons
One of the Best Ways of Running and Winning the Race of Life is to stop comparing yourself with others around you.
The comparison trap which has become worse with social media is one of the downfalls of our generation. Just because others seem successful doesn’t mean it’s true. Most people only post the highlights of their lives, not their struggles.
And even if they’re truly successful avoid being jealous of them. In life and even in an athletic race comparison will discourage you, limit your confidence, and slow you down. It’s important to have full concentration of your own race.
When l ran MY race, I totally felt like I won the whole thing because I ran my heart out and won MY race. That’s the race that matters. You don’t have to run like everyone else. Your race is different. What matters is that you run it well.
Be focused, diligent, and patient with yourself. Your race is not theirs. Comparing yourself with others robs you of the joy of enjoying your journey.
7. Trust in God
Trust God because he wants you to be a winner in the race of life. He promises that his plans for you are good and he equips you to be victorious. We may not have all the answers and know all the tips, tricks, and strategies but God does.
We become confident when we put our faith in his power. He will sustain us in difficult times and guide us along the race. Lean on the power of God and wait on him. Winning is guaranteed with him on our side.
8. Run the race well with perseverance
Earlier I shared about my participation in the St. George Marathon. When that specific race day came, it rained! I wasn’t prepared for that.
It was the third time in race history it rained (it’s desert territory after all). My original playlist wasn’t working for me. The race started a half-hour late.
All of these things could have been excuses for me to give up on my goals or just be average — but I chose to persevere and become better instead.
I couldn’t control the weather, my playlist not working or the race starting late, and all those things could have had a major impact on my mentality and affected my performance but l chose to focus on the higher goal.
The last two miles were extremely hard, and I really wanted to slow down or walk, but I told myself I had trained for that moment. The moment I wanted to quit was the moment I trained for. I worked to be mentally ready and mentally tough on race day.
I chose to fight through, and I’m glad I did because the finish line was so sweet. I not only hit a personal best, but I crushed my goal. I beat my best time by 12 minutes and another bid for the Boston Marathon-two goals I set out to accomplish!
The writer of Hebrews says that once we find our motivation and cast off our weights, we need to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1) This means we have to prepare for hard work and dedication. It’s a long race that needs a steady pace.
If we train and don’t quit on ourselves, we are sure to change. There is a growing curve as we move toward our goals, and we can’t resist the process.
Through the training you took, you can be empowered and prepared for the trials and instead of breaking you, they’ll build and change you into the person you need to become to win your race.
If we train, and if we don’t quit, we will change, and that change is positive because we become better. Through the process, we are stronger and mentally tougher. We learn to adapt and modify as we grow.
9. Look to Jesus Christ as the perfect example
When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we start a new life. Throughout that journey, we continue to fix our eyes on him for he is the perfect example and role model of our lives.
He modeled before us how to live in a way that glorifies the Lord and in the end was triumphant. He came in first already and he is waiting to share his victory with us. The good news is he is reliable, faithful, powerful, and willing to help us finish the race.
“Looking to Jesus, the founder, and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2 ESV
10. Remember the Reward
When you’re running a race you focus on the trophy or gold medal. For me when l ran my marathon race l was focused on reaching my personal best and having another bid for the Boston Marathon.
In the Christian race, the reward is ultimately eternal life where we can get to spend forever with our Heavenly Father. So keep your eyes focused on the prize.
“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:14 ESV
At the end of his life, Apostle Paul could declare that he had finished his race well. He had completed God’s purpose for him on earth and gone through difficult trials such as imprisonment for the sake of the gospel.
Just like him, we desire to one day, stand confidently at the end of our lives knowing we gave the race our all and are waiting for our ultimate reward.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV
Life is a race that we need to prepare for. The Bible is one of the most powerful ways we prepare for that race. You need discipline, endurance, dedication, faith, and obedience to stay focused on the race set out before you.
We don’t quit when it gets tough. No matter what your goal is in life, you have to know that obstacles will come. It matters how we react to them and what we do with them. Choose not to quit, and choose to become stronger.
May these 10 10 Best Ways of Running and Winning the Race of Life encourage, inspire, and equip you to finish your race strong and with confidence. Choose to just run YOUR race, and win YOUR race. Choose to become a better you!
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