RUNNING THE RACE!

“You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?” Galatians 5:7 (NIV)

You were doing well. You were showing up, spending time with God, obeying His Word, serving others. The joy was there, the passion was real, and the fruit of your faith was visible. But then something happened. Someone, or something, cut in on you. It didn’t come from the One who called you, that’s for sure.

Maybe it was a failure. A relationship that fell apart. A sudden diagnosis. Maybe it was someone’s words, or just the slow, steady creep of doubt. What was once fire in your spirit has cooled to a flicker. You still believe, but you’ve stopped running. You feel confused, tired, maybe even disqualified. But hear this: Paul didn’t just ask the Galatians who cut in on them—he also spoke hope over them. He said, “I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view.” In other words, you can get back in the race. You will run well again.

The Greek word for "hindrance" here is “kopto,” and it means to strike with a violent blow. That’s exactly what it feels like sometimes, doesn’t it? Something struck you. Hard. And now you’re sitting on the sidelines, trying to catch your breath. Trying to remember why you were even running in the first place. But God hasn’t changed His mind about you. That painful blow didn’t come from Him. The confusion? That’s not His voice. 

God is still calling you. Still cheering you on. Still urging you to get back up.

So maybe today is the day you dust yourself off. The day you stop replaying the moment you got knocked down and start focusing on the finish line again. Maybe you need to forgive, or let go, or simply lift your hands in surrender and ask Him to steady your feet. You’re not disqualified. You’re not too far gone. The race isn’t over. You just need to get back in it.