Hitting The Wall
For most of my adult life, my primary sport was basketball; but I finally had to go into retirement due to accumulating nagging injuries. Although I was never a serious runner I did some running to stay in shape. Then a few years ago, after watching my father go through two knee replacements I decided to become a walker! Still, the competitive nature in me needed a challenge, so I determined that I would walk a marathon—besides how much training could it take to "just walk" a marathon? It didn't take me long to figure out that walking twenty-six miles would take a lot of work and some focused training.
One dynamic you always hear about with marathons is "hitting the wall". Even walking a marathon at a brisk pace you are likely to reach a place where you believe you cannot go on, so I prepared myself for this possibility. The day came and I got off to a good start. My goal was six hours (about a 14 minute mile). I reached the halfway point at three hours—I was on pace until mile twenty-one . . . when I hit the wall. My legs got tight and I was aching all over. I felt light-headed and my body said “stop” (or at least slow down)! Fortunately, I had already decided that this prospect would not defeat me; so I turned up my walkman, put my head down and pressed on. By mile twenty-four, I began to get my second wind and knew I was going to finish. Amazingly, I even did a little running during the last mile to try and hit my time which I missed by a few minutes. In the end, I learned what the marathon is all about—finishing.
This is what business and life and faith are about as well—finishing—and perseverance is what we need to accomplish that goal. Let’s be clear that you and I are going to hit the wall, perhaps many times. Your "wall" may be a wounded partnership or a broken relationship. It may be a promising new venture that now has you fighting for your professional life. You may find yourself nose to nose with the “wall” of a financial crisis that threatens your solvency. Your “wall” could be a job that you hate, yet find yourself with no other option. "Hitting the wall" may sound like a trite running analogy until you encounter the very real phenomenon of feeling like you cannot take another step . . . when you must answer the question of whether you will quit, give up, settle—or push on through to the finish.
Perseverance is the pre-determined decision never to quit what is begun until the purpose has been fulfilled. It is the will required to press on even when the circumstances are working against you. Perseverance is an attribute of God, thus a character quality worthy of pursuit and cultivation. In one of the most encouraging verses in the Bible—Philippians 1:6—God's perseverance is highlighted: "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." Regardless of our weak and fragile faith and despite our spiritual ups and downs, God is a marathoner—He will finish what He started in us! This is an amazing promise from God and it shines a bright light on His character, especially in a day when the trend of the culture is to quit when it is expedient and to get out when things get rough (e.g. a job, a project, a contract, a partnership, a marriage, or even a church). Take heart if you have hit the wall today and consider that “you need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised." (Hebrews 10:36) You are not alone, so press on!
Serving Him with you in the marketplace,
David Atchison
Lord, change my perspective when I hit the wall in life. Help me to see the pathway and follow the lead of Jesus who hit the ultimate wall and didn’t give up, ”who for the joy set before Him endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:1). Teach me to rely on Your adequacy and Your sufficiency in all circumstances. Grant me the faith to finish what I start and to complete the mission You have called me to.
"God knows our situation; He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them."
C.S. Lewis
Reflections on a Higher Call is a ministry of Disciple's Call and Retail Christian Network. Its purpose is to inspire and equip men and women in the marketplace to a higher standard of professional excellence and personal integrity through a growing faith in Jesus Christ.
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