Same Goal; Different Path
A runner begins to take his place on the start line, anxiously awaiting until the person in charge says “GO.” As he prepares, the only thing on his mind is winning the race in good time. The words “GO” finally fills the air and the runners are off and running. During the middle of the race, runners are all over. The runner looks forward and behind, looks to the left and to the right and realizes that no one is running at the same pace he is. This runner doesn’t get distracted by who’s ahead or who is falling behind. He is simply focusing on himself. He eventually finishes the race and although he may not have made first place...He was right where he was supposed to be. He finished when he needed to finish.
I wanted to illustrate this story to you, because we all have one main goal in life that each of us will accomplish in different ways and at different times. I’ve struggled and let me be the first to say that I have been guilty of comparing my life or myself to other people. “Comparing” is a little monster of its own and can truly distract, discourage and distort your mind/self forever. In situations where I would give into comparing myself to others, I was truly losing sight of the promises that God had for me. Most of you know that I’ve been trying to get into the Nursing Program for a while now, and just recently I found out a friend of mine made it in and I was unable to. It's hard to be happy for someone that was going after the same thing you were and you find out you still have to keep trying elsewhere. In those moments, God revealed to my heart that...We all have the same main goal, but each of us goes through a different path to reach that goal.
We may experience some of the same circumstances, but we all don’t reach the end at the same time. Let me reassure you, IT’S OKAY, there is no rush. Don't try and rush what God is preparing you for. It will be worth the wait if you just keep focused on him and not distract yourself with everyone else’s progress.
1 Corinthians 12:6
“ God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.” (NLT)
Keep running the race and in time...God’s time, you’ll pass the finish line and realize that even though it might have taken you forever to get there...with persistence and focus and believing in the promises of God...YOU MADE IT!