Run your Own Race

Sent by Hiyab Tsegay - Eritrea

A few months ago, I was out running (jogging) through my neighbourhood.
I had about a kilometre to go on my path before I needed to turn off when I noticed a man about a half of a kilo in front of me. I could tell he was running a little bit slower than me and I thought to myself, "Good, I'll try to catch him." So I started running faster and faster. With every block, I could tell I was gaining on him just a little bit.

A few minutes later, I was only about quarter kilo away, so I really picked up the pace and started pushing it. I was so determined to catch up with him that you would have thought I was in the last leg of the Olympic Games! Finally, I caught up to him and passed him. On the inside, I felt so good that I had beaten him. (Of course, he didn't even know 'we' were racing.) But when I got my mind back on what I was doing, I realized I had missed my turn. I was so caught up in trying to beat this man I didn't even know that I went nearly six streets further than I was supposed to. I had to turn around and go all the way back.

Isn't that what happens in life sometimes? Maybe we're trying to catch up with someone else - a neighbour, friend or co-worker. We get so wrapped up in the competition trying to outdo them, out dress them, or trying to prove that we're more important. We spend all this time and energy going down that path when we should be using it to move toward our own God-given destiny!

If that's you today, realize that your life would go to a whole new level if you would just quit competing with everyone around you. It takes a lot of physical and emotional energy to try to impress people all day long. But it's very freeing to say, "I don't have to impress anybody today. I have nothing to prove. I'm secure in who I am. And I am not going to feel bad if you look better, make more money, or get more recognition. I don't have to keep up with you; I'm going to run my own race."

Get free from comparison today so that you can move forward into the destiny God has in store for you!