We are all in a race designed by God. Just as there are many kinds of races in the world — the 100-meter sprint, the 400-meter run, relay races, and long-distance marathons — each race has its own strategy. A sprinter runs with explosive speed. A 400-meter runner preserves energy. A marathon runner moves steadily for endurance.
In the same way, every believer runs a different race, at a different pace, on a different track. But the reward is in God’s hands.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.”
— 1 Corinthians 9:24
Sometimes we see others being rewarded quickly, and we feel left behind. But God has assigned each of us a unique course. The question is not how fast others run — but whether we are running the race God set before us.
Now let us look at those in the Bible who ran — and what their running teaches us.
Moses is a prime example. He believed God had chosen him to deliver Israel, and in his own strength he killed an Egyptian. But instead of deliverance, he had to flee into the wilderness. There, in Jethro’s house, while pretending to be only a shepherd, Moses saw a bush burning but not consumed.
The bush was a thorny plant — a thistle. Thorns were never part of God’s original creation. They came as a result of Adam’s curse.
“Cursed is the ground because of you… it shall bring forth thorns and thistles.”
— Genesis 3:17–18
Yet God chose this cursed object to reveal His holy presence.
“The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.”
— Exodus 3:2
Thistles were a shepherd’s nightmare — sheep often got trapped in them. A ram was once caught in a thicket and became Abraham’s sacrifice. What was once a symbol of curse became an instrument of divine purpose. God used a thistle to stop a fleeing Moses and call him back.
Even today, God uses what we consider cursed, painful, or unwanted to get our attention. The very thing we try to avoid might be the place where God speaks.
God gave Moses a sign: his staff turned into a snake. When Moses saw it, he ran.
“And he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses fled from it.”
— Exodus 4:3
God could have given Moses a pleasant sign. He could have healed his speech difficulty. But instead, God used another cursed symbol — a serpent — to test Moses. Then God said something shocking: “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail.” (Exodus 4:4)
God called the fleeing Moses back to the very thing he feared. When Moses obeyed, the snake became a staff again — an instrument of authority before Pharaoh.
Today, many of us run from God’s signs because they look frightening, unfamiliar, or uncomfortable. But hose very signs may be preparing us to stand before our own Pharaohs — the battles assigned to us.What we call cursed, God can turn into calling.
Some run from God’s call. Others run toward the wrong desire.
Gehazi chased after Naaman because he felt Elisha had let Naaman go too easily. He pursued wealth instead of anointing. He thought God’s favor was supporting his chase. But Elisha said: “Did not my heart go with you?” (2 Kings 5:26)
Sometimes people feel spiritual excitement while pursuing the wrong thing. But God’s Spirit may be watching, not approving — revealing what the heart truly desires. Gehazi gained silver — but lost purity. He should have chased after Elisha’s spirit, just as Elisha chased Elijah.
The question for us is simple:
What are we really running after?
David saw Israel frozen in fear for forty days. Instead of standing still, he ran toward the giant.
“David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.”
— 1 Samuel 17:48
Faith does not always wait — sometimes it runs forward. There are battles in life where hesitation is defeat. God is looking for runners who move toward challenges, not away from them.
Lot had to be pulled out of destruction by angels.
“But he lingered, so the men took hold of his hand… and brought him out.”
— Genesis 19:16
Even then, he negotiated to run toward Zoar — a place God intended to destroy. Later he hid in a cave, believing the world had ended. His story closes with no covenant, no promise, no legacy.
A reluctant runner risks ending the race early.
Where Are We Running?
Some run from God.
Some run after the wrong rewards.
Some run toward battles.
Some must be dragged to safety.
But only those who run with faith finish the race well.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7
So the question remains:
Where are we running?
What are we chasing?
Does our race bring joy to the Spirit of God?
Those who run and keep the faith will be part of the Quiver of God — arrows shaped, aimed, and released for His purpose.
May God bless you all..