By Krista Pirtle
Sports writer
The bear trail: a feat that many take on with many motives.
Driving around campus, I have seen people walking alone or with friends, doing the gossip jog, walking their dogs, and, most impressively, running.
It amuses me when I drive down Eighth Street and see guys pick up the pace as they run past Collins then slow it down once they feel like they’re out of its sight.
At Baylor, many students pride themselves on attending a Baptist university but don’t do anything about it.
What do I mean by that?
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Christianity is described as a race.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
Cool, so what does that mean and what does that have to do with you?
How is your relationship with God? Mind you, Christianity is not merely a religion, it is a relationship.
What is your pace like? Are you stopped to catch your breath, walking, jogging or running?
Personally, I am a very competitive person. If I am going to run, I’m not going to slowly jog. I’m going to push myself in order to win, whether that win is against people or the clock.
When comparing this to my relationship with my Savior, I am guilty of taking the easy jog instead of stepping it up and sprinting.
What exactly is the finish line then? God Himself.
You can focus on Heaven and the riches promised there, but ultimately, the fact that you get to spend eternity with the creator should be enough.
So running hard to win is important, but what happens if you are out of shape?
Think about workouts and dieting. You work hard and limit yourself from eating a whole box of Oreos in one sitting.
How do you do that spiritually? Live to glorify God.
Glorifying God is a term used many times in the church, but do we really understand what it means?
To glorify means to give a correct representation of.
In what you do every day, are you giving a correct representation of God? Individually, many have prayed for a revival on Baylor’s campus, desperately desiring God to shake us of our complacency.
However, instead of focusing on the big picture, look small and inward at yourself.
Imagine the possibilities if you moved over from the driver’s seat and truly allowed God to take control of your life.
It is a scary thought because as humans we like to take control, but His promises are made clear throughout the Bible that his goal for us is not to harm us.
Yes, we will go through hard times because they are inevitable, but the end result will be worth it.
For that idea, many people look at Jeremiah 29:11.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Look past this one verse to the three that follow.
“‘Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back from captivity.’”
This race is not meant to be easy.
It will be difficult, but rest assured that God will help you if you ask him to.
Krista Pirtle is a junior journalism major from Olney and is a sports writer for the Lariat.
