The teaching takes as its starting point the image of the Christian life as a race and a long, hard slog, where it is not about a short, emotional sprint, but about perseverance, faithfulness and obedience over time, even when it hurts and when one does not see quick results. We read from the Epistle to the Hebrews about running with endurance the race set before us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and is now seated at the right hand of God’s throne. Keep your eyes on him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb 12:2–3). Here the Bible shows that the Christian life is not a series of short projects, but a marathon in which one must time and again choose to carry on, even when the body, mind and emotions are crying out to stop. “Teacher’s name here” explains how the long, hard haul for God’s kingdom can be both filled with gratitude and joy at all that God does, and at the same time marked by weariness, resistance, silence and the temptation to give up.
A parallel is drawn between the physical race and the spiritual race. A personal example of running far too hard, far too fast – a first run of almost four kilometres at full sprint without any training, with lactic acid in the legs, a stitch, the taste of blood in my mouth and a body that practically collapsed afterwards – is used as an illustration: There was neither training, preparation nor understanding of what a run actually requires, only willpower and pride. The result was a miserable experience and an almost firm decision never to run again. In the same way, one can throw oneself into service for God before there are deep roots, character and grounding in God’s Word, and then one burns out when it starts to hurt, or when the fruit does not appear immediately. It is emphasised that God is not against zeal, but that He desires zeal to be combined with a deep grounding in one’s identity in Christ and in God’s Word, so that one can stand firm when storms and opposition come.
There is also a reading from 1 Corinthians, where Paul uses the image of a race: “Do you not know that in a race at the stadium, all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it! Every athlete exercises self-control in all things; they do so to receive a wreath that will wither, but we, one that will not wither. I do not run aimlessly; I am not like a boxer beating the air. I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified” (1 Cor 9:24–27). Here it becomes clear that the long, hard haul is not just about external challenges, but also about an inner struggle with one’s own body, fatigue, laziness and complacency. Paul did not allow his body to take control, but forced it to obey God’s call, even when it hurt, and this challenges us: Who actually determines the direction of our lives – God’s call or how we feel on any given day?
The teaching moves from the image to concrete examples drawn from both our own daily lives and the Bible. The experience of several years of physical labour on a major project for God’s kingdom – construction, practical tasks, wear and tear on tools, pipes, screwdrivers and things that are constantly breaking – shows how enthusiasm is easily high in the first year, when many come to help, but how the long, hard haul often begins when most volunteers disappear and the work is still just as hard. It describes how God has nevertheless sent the right people time and again, provided practical ideas and solutions to problems, and reminded us that it is first and foremost Him we depend on – not people. There is a powerful point in the fact that the project is essentially God’s ‘ark’, for which He has provided the plans and blueprints, and that the task is to build, even when it feels like wandering through a desert and facing silence.
This leads naturally into the story of Noah. A picture is painted of a man who is told to build a huge ship in what resembles a desert, at a time when it had probably never rained, and when everyone around him must have thought he was completely mad. Year after year, he carries on building, without receiving any further instructions, without hearing anything more from God about the project, and without seeing any signs of the coming flood. He fells trees, makes beams, hammers in nails, corrects mistakes, rebuilds, and is mocked and misunderstood. The point is that he carries on because God has spoken once, and that is enough. It is emphasised that nowhere do we read that Noah complained; instead, he works faithfully until the day comes when God Himself ushers him and his family into the ark, the rain pours down, and it turns out that his long, hard labour was not in vain, but was what saved his life.
The focus then shifts to Abraham, who is promised a son in his old age and must wait year after year without seeing it happen. Impatience leads him to take matters into his own hands through his relationship with the slave woman Hagar, but God sticks to his plan and allows the promised son Isaac to be born much later, when all human hope is gone. Abraham is tested even more radically when God asks him to sacrifice the very son he has been waiting for for 25 years; a situation in which everything in him must have cried out ‘no’, yet in which he nevertheless chooses to obey, because he knows that God is faithful. The teaching challenges us to reflect on that obedience: Are we willing to hold fast to God’s promise and calling when everything seems to be going the opposite way, when we have waited a long time, and when God appears to be silent?
Another powerful image of the long, hard struggle is Isaiah, who is told to walk around naked and barefoot for three years as a sign to the people. It is emphasised just how humiliating, socially stigmatising and, in human terms, transgressive this must have been. Yet Isaiah does it because he recognises God’s voice and chooses obedience over reputation and comfort. It is pointed out that such a process smooths out rough edges, crushes pride and breaks down modesty and fear of man in a way that does not happen through short, easy processes. That is precisely why God was able to use Isaiah so powerfully later on; his obedience over the long haul made him malleable and open to God’s plans.
Joseph’s story is also used as a lesson in perseverance. He has dreams that others will bow down to him, shares them in an immature way, is misunderstood, sold into slavery, unjustly accused and thrown into prison. Year after year, he sits in the dark, seemingly forgotten—first by his brothers, then by the people he has helped, and perhaps, humanly speaking, even by God. Yet he keeps his heart pure, refuses sinful offers, serves faithfully where he is, and maintains his trust that God has a plan. When the promotion finally comes, a man emerges who has broken with his own ego, is dependent on God, and is ready to bear great authority without being consumed by pride. It is emphasised that the time in the ‘dungeon’ was not wasted time, but a time of formation.
There is also mention of Moses, who goes from being a prince in Egypt to 40 years as a shepherd in the desert, before God calls him back to lead the people out. Then another 40 years in the desert with a people who have witnessed the most incredible miracles – the plagues of Egypt, the parting of the sea, the pillar of cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night, manna and water from the rock – and yet they grumble, rebel, make a golden calf and keep turning away from God. Moses reaches a point where he tells God that he would almost rather die, because the task is so heavy, but he carries on because it is God who has called him. Through Moses’ struggle, we see that the long, hard haul is also about bearing with people who are not always grateful, and standing firm in one’s service, even when one feels completely spent.
David and Samuel are mentioned as other examples. David is anointed as a young man, but for many years must live as a hunted man, hiding in caves, dealing with misunderstandings and the temptation to take shortcuts by killing Saul. Time and again, he chooses not to do so, because he respects the fact that God Himself has appointed Saul, and thus he forgoes the immediate fulfilment of the promise in order to honour God. Samuel has served faithfully as a prophet, but at one point finds that the people reject him and want a human king instead; yet he does not turn his back on God, but continues his service. In both stories, faithfulness in adversity becomes a picture of how God sees and rewards those who are not guided by people’s reactions, but by God’s calling.
The teaching becomes relevant to the life of a disciple today. It recounts a period of regular street evangelism several times a week, often without visible fruit, in the cold, rain and resistance. The feeling that “nothing is happening” is described honestly, yet at the same time it is shown how God used that time to open other doors, build relationships and send people to intercede and help in other ways. It is emphasised that what matters is not whether we see direct results in our current situation, but whether we are obedient to what God has asked of us. Often the breakthrough is just around the corner, and the risk is that you give up a few steps before, because it feels empty and meaningless.
A story is also told about “Kenneth”, who experiences a calling to rebuild a spiritual community, gives his all, but after the initial enthusiasm encounters silence, resistance, misunderstandings and doubts as to whether he has even heard correctly. He continues in small, faithful steps – turning up, praying, phoning, holding fast to a simple prayer: “Jesus, if this is you, then give me what I need today.” The breakthrough does not come dramatically, but as a gradual change: people taking responsibility, testimonies of lives that have been saved, finances beginning to fall into place, and a powerful experience of God’s presence in the midst of a perfectly ordinary gathering. Subsequently, he realises that the miracle was not just the breakthrough itself, but that he did not stop in the silence. The point is that God is often just as close in the silence as in the breakthrough, and that the long, hard slog shapes one’s character so that one can bear what God wishes to entrust.
Finally, the threads come together in a clear call. Questions are posed to the heart: Am I in the right place? Have I laid down my work clothes in a place where God had actually called me to continue? Have I stopped a ministry, not because God asked me to, but because I grew tired, fed up or thought it was boring? Emphasis is placed on asking God: Where can I make a difference for God’s kingdom? How can I help God’s kingdom to grow – even when there is no immediate reward? The devil’s whisper – “just give up, nothing’s going to happen anyway” – is exposed as an attempt to stop what God is doing behind the scenes. Instead, we are encouraged to take the long view, to persevere, to keep running the race God has set before us, and to trust that when we are on the right track, He will bless and use every single step, even those that feel small and overlooked.
Quote from the teaching: The miracle is not just the breakthrough; the miracle is that you do not stop in the silence, but keep running the long, hard race for God’s kingdom.
Relevant keywords: the long, hard haul – perseverance in faith – the race with Jesus – calling and obedience – Noah’s Ark and obedience – Abraham and Isaac – Joseph in prison – Moses in the wilderness – Isaiah’s obedience – David before the kingship – Samuel as a prophet – service in God’s kingdom – spiritual breakthrough – God’s calling in everyday life – discipleship and character
