2 Timothy 4:7: I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.
Hebrews 12:1: So then, with endurance, let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us.
At the beginning of June I spoke about the parable of the wise and foolish builders. At the time, most of Ontario was in stage 1 of the re-opening process, which didn’t look too different from complete lockdown. We were being advised to shelter in place and were told not to visit family and friends outside our homes. Parks were still closed across the province and social gatherings weren’t permitted. We were in the heart of the storm, to say the least.
We can all probably think of ways that God was faithful to us during that time. Maybe we were able to keep our jobs even though our offices were closed. Maybe we found comfort and refuge in God when family members got sick, or we faced trails. Maybe God brought us through some really difficult circumstances. Whatever the case, I hope we can all say that God was there for us in our time of need.
As we look forward into the fall, most of us are probably trying to figure out how to cope with the new normal that is emerging. Plans may be in the works to go back to the office, schools, work, seeing friends again, etc. As counterintuitive as it may sound, when it comes to maturing in God, “normal” may actually be one of the most difficult times to stay steady in our growth. This is because when things are “normal” and “good,” we can tend to forget God. This happened over and over again with the Israelites in the Old Testament–they would cry out to God in their trouble and God would respond, only to have the people turn their backs on God during the good times.
This is why I think in 2 Timothy and Hebrews, faith is talked about like a “race” that requires endurance. Maturity is about learning to walk with the Lord in every season of our lives, not only when we’re in trouble. We need to make space for God in the new normal. We need to prepare for the long haul with God. Whether it’s devotions, discipleship, worship, listening prayer, or something else, let’s commit to walking with God daily. That’s the challenge of maturity.