My friends and I watched a movie where an overweight, down-on-his-luck man decides, for various reasons, that he wants to run a marathon. He’s a pretty unmotivated guy; he hates commitment and is generally full of excuses. The movie humorously takes you along his fitness journey, but the underlying themes of dedication and reliability are what develop the plot the most.
When it comes time for him to attempt the 42.2-kilometer run, it goes great for a while. He’s making reasonable time and has the vision to make it to the end.
But then he hits “the wall.” The wall is a term that distance runners use to describe a feeling of being completely unable to move forward. Your body is screaming, “No! You don’t want to do this!”
In the film, the mental “wall” that the main character runs into is pictured as a massive, red-bricked thing that goes on and on. He feels as though he cannot take one more step. Then he realizes he has to remember why he’s doing it—to develop self-discipline and perseverance—and who he’s doing it for—his son, the woman he loves, and his friends.
Slowly, as he focuses on those who are supporting him and the importance of what he’s achieving, he starts to punch the wall down brick by brick until he finishes what he started and successfully completes the marathon. I loved that scene!
In anything new or difficult that you strive to do, there comes a time when you feel the overwhelming certainty that you can’t continue. You hit your wall. It’s so frustrating, and it feels definite.
But whenever I focus on why I’m taking on a new challenge and who I’m doing it for, I can always find the strength to slowly tear down that wall and push forward. When I think about everyone supporting me and what reaching my goal will achieve, I am inspired once again. Then I picture the bricks of my wall being removed by a heavenly hand that is stronger than my own.
We, as Christians, are so blessed to have the best reasons to keep running our race. Love is why we do it and Jesus is who we do it for!