If you're watching them, you shouldn't be.

Over the last 5 months, my coach has been teaching me about endurance and the technique behind the pace that he’s asking me to go. Before the workout begins, it all seems so simple.

He’ll say “don't burn yourself out on the first leg, don’t worry about how quick the person next to you is moving, relax, have fun, and breathe.” Every time he says this, I think I understand. But whenever the clock counts down from 10 to 1, I get wildly competitive and quickly forget.

Today was no different.

As I went down for my second round of burpees, I turned my head and looked to the side. I wanted to see how fast the other guys we’re moving and I wanted to know if I was falling behind.

My coach must have seen this because he started walking my way. In the middle of the next set, he quietly said: “if you are watching them. You should not be. Do not worry about where they’re at. This is a long haul. You have to go the pace that you know to go. Keep moving and do not look at their lane. Do what you know to do and run your own race.”

With every rep, for the next twelve minutes, I thought about how much this tendency impacts my life.

So often, we go through life with our heads to the side. Constantly we're wondering how fast others are moving and if we're falling behind. It's as if somewhere in our lives, we've come under the influence of an invisible checklist that says we have to do, be, or move at a pace that is not our own.

I think if Jesus (in the flesh) were hanging in my living room and ringing in 2020 alongside me, He'd say the same thing as my coach. “If you are watching them. You should not be. Do not worry about where they’re at. This is a long haul. You have to go the pace that you know to go. Keep moving and do not look at their lane. Do what you know to do and run your own race.”

Here’s the deal, I don't know who or what has caused you to turn your head to the side. But my prayer for 2020 remains the same.

My prayer is that this year we’d run the race in front of us, at the pace He’s set for us. That we’d know God’s intention for our lives is that of endurance and there’s a technique behind the pace He’s asked us to go.

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“Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us.” Hebrews‬ ‭12:1‬ ‭