"Run Forest Run" (By Mike Belgard)

July 20, 2017 - The movie "Forest Gump" is one of my all time favorite movies. It is a movie about a man who is simple minded.  And even though he had some mental handicaps, there was one thing that Forest could do; he could run. One of the main lines of the movie was "run Forest run." You see Forest ran for a lot of different reasons. He ran from bullies when he was a child. He ran for the University of Alabama football team when he went to college. He ran to save his wounded buddies in the Vietnam war. He once ran across the United States from coast to coast twice, just to think. You see, Forest new that life was all about running. We all, whether we want to or not, have to run in this life. We are all part of the human race.

What we need to decide is what we are running for; and If we are running this race, are we in it to win or just make a showing.

1 Cor. 9: 24 says, "Do you not know that all those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to win." Paul is telling us that in this race called life that we are in, it's like running in the Olympics. It takes much discipline and training to be a contender.
Winning the prize is what we should be running for. The prize that is offered is eternal life. I can think of no better prize to received.

God gives us a training manual called the Bible that gives us instructions, that if we follow will ensure our victory. Here are some of them:

1) Discipline. Any athlete knows that we have to discipline our minds and bodies to be competitive. We have to put "self" aside and learn to keep training even when we don't feel like it. The same is true in our spiritual life. Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23 "If you truly want to be my disciple, you must die to your self daily, take up your cross and follow Me."

2) Training. Training prepares our minds and bodies for what they will face in the race. Spiritual training is no different. We must train by praying, reading and meditating on Gods word, and fellowship with other believers. Titus 2: 11-12, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passion, and to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in the present age."

3) Staying Focused on the prize. When you are running a race and you turn and look back, you will automatically slow down or even worse, trip and fall. The same is true in life. Don't look back at where you have been, you can't change that. Stay focused on the race ahead so you can make adjustments and stay on track. Hebrews 12:1, " ..... let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith...."

4) Patience. Don't get in a hurry. Run your race. The race is not always to the swift but to the one who is patient. Isaiah 40: 31, "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up on wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not get weary."

We have the greatest coach and trainer in God. If we trust Him we will all be winners in life. Don't give up. Trust God and He will lead you to a victorious life.
                         
                                                                              I'm just sayin
                                                                              Mike Belgard