Contend with the Reality of Failure

One of the highlights of the sporting calendar, and the jewel in the crown of the Olympic games, is the men’s 100m final. The fastest athletes on earth gathered together on one track to compete for a single gold medal and a place in the history books. Observe their pre-race rituals and you’ll see grown men prowl around the starting blocks like animals, exuding confidence, chests out, showboating to the crowd, displaying their dominance to spectators and fellow competitors alike.

The start line of an ultra-marathon is a very different story. Even amongst truly world-class athletes you’ll observe little, if any, pride on display. Ultra start lines are quiet, under-stated and contained environments.

Why is this?

Anyone who runs an ultra-marathon does so knowing that the probability of failure is high. Sometimes 50% or more of the people who hear the starter’s orders will never see the finish line. A multitude of things could conspire together to end your race early: fitness, terrain, weather, slip & trips, hydration, and navigation to name just a few. There is also the possibility of disqualification if you accidentally, or intentionally, fall outside the rules of the race. As a result, runners approach the start line humbly, knowing that success is never guaranteed and nobody is immune to a DNF (did not finish).

The starting point for avoiding failure, is being honest about the danger of it. Only when you contend with the reality of failure can you prepare yourself effectively for success.

Taking a quiet moment to prepare at the start line of the Spine Race 24

There are any number of forces in the life of faith which would seek to throw us off course and prevent us from finishing the race. Success is by no means certain. We all know people who were once strong in faith but have since fallen away from the Lord. More often than not, it is our own actions and behaviour – our sin – which disqualifies us from the race.

Paul writes:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Rom 3:23

and

“The wages of sin is death” Rom 6:23

This is serious stuff! Just like breaking the rules of the race, when we live outside of God’s boundaries, we disqualify ourselves from the life he offers us. Through sin we leave the course that God has marked out and we trespass on enemy territory. The result of going our own way is forfeiting the life Jesus offers us.

In Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, a young son askes his father for his share of his inheritance early. He literally couldn’t wait for his dad to die. The dad graciously gives him half of all he has and the son goes off and wastes it all on wild living. At first he feels free. But It doesn’t turn out well.

Finding himself skint and in the depths of despair the son resolves to return home:

"'I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father." Luke 15:18-19

The son’s sin (our sin) disqualified him from relationship to the father (God). He’s messed up, he’s forfeited his status, he's broken relationship, and it’s all his own fault.

But then the Father does something extraordinary, which is worth reading in full:

“while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him… The father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” Luke 15:20-24

In his grace, the father comes running to him (God is a runner), forgives him, and reinstates him as son and heir to his kingdom. This is where God’s extraordinary grace has no parallel in sport. Where we deserve to be disqualified, he places a medal round our necks guaranteeing us a finish long before we've even got there. It’s God’s work, God’s grace, God’s effort that redeems our failure and through which he counts us righteous, even though we fail. All that is required by the boy, and us, is to turn back to him in repentance.

A guarantee of success that we haven't earned and don't deserve

So, if God’s grace means that we have a finishers medal before we’ve even finished the race - why bother trying? If his grace is sufficient, surely the way we live is irrelevant?

Paul addresses this question directly:

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!” Romans 6:15

Too often we lean so heavily on God’s grace that we learn to accommodate sin into our lives. We willingly wear sin despite the effect that is has on our life and relationship to God. We convince ourselves that carrying the extra weight of habitual sin isn’t really a problem, because we have confidence in the gracious nature of our God - as if God set us free to sin, rather than to pursue holiness.

How dare we become so comfortable with that which offends our Heavenly Father?

Our lives are lived as a repose to God’s grace. We can respond by languishing at the back, cruising along, and spoiling the race for ourselves and others, offering little to God. Or, we can resolve to run a race worthy of the grace we have received (Eph 4:1) – to live a life of gratitude that replicates and radiates the profound wonder of God’s kindness.

The writer of Hebrews encourages us down the latter path:

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1-2

Running free

I invite you to repentance today. To turn around and return to God afresh - not with brashness, but with humility, aware of the sin which disqualifies you from the race of faith. In invite you to see God come running to you, throwing his arms round you, and reinstating you as his child and heir. I invite you to resolve to live a life worthy of that grace you have received, throwing off sin and running the race marked out for you with freedom and perseverance.

No failure is beyond the scope of God's grace.

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This post is part of a series of short blogs titled Faith Endurance, based on a sermon series preached at St Peter’s Morley in Spring 2024. Subscribe to get notifications each time a new blog is released.