This Monday I’m meditating on Hebrews 12 verses 1 and 2.

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

The first thing that stuck out to me was that running with endurance takes discipline. Like a runner, the Christian must be in constant motion toward the goal, despite opposition. This demands strenuous effort and endurance, which is learned from constant discipline.

Sometimes I think that if I could just be “more disciplined” my life would be easier. If I could get up earlier, be more consistent in the discipling of my children, stick to a budget (it never happens) then my days would be effortless.

The Christian character of discipline in itself is not a bad thing, but when I am putting my hope in the outcome of those disciplines, it becomes problematic. We must work hard to strengthen our faith to endure the race. That means seeking the Lord daily in His Word and prayer. It's seeking fellowship among other believers to be encouraged and edified, and sometimes that means we must welcome rebuke and embrace trials.

In verse two it says “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” – you see, things get challenging when we take our eyes off Jesus and instead look to ourselves. I often look to myself for strength and to others for approval. I place my hope in being more disciplined, or having a better routine with the kids, a clean home, a fool proof meal plan and all my ducks in a row.

The author of Hebrews encourages us to stop looking around or within and instead look to Jesus. He took the burden of our sins and made our running and our striving easy and light. When we set our eyes firmly on him, we will not grow weary in the fight against sin and in the race to persevere in faith.

The good news of the gospel is that we have already been made perfect through the blood of Christ.

Imagine what would happen if we looked to Jesus every day. Every weight would fall off and every sin would untangle from us. Each glance at Jesus would strengthen us to endure and finish well.

When you’re feeling tempted to return to patterns of relying on self and people pleasing, look up. Look to Him. The founder and perfecter of our faith.

This post includes our Scripture Meditation Cards, which you can view here.