What Does ‘Run with Endurance’ Mean?

A brother asked what the Scriptures mean when it encourages us to “run the race with endurance.” Like so many other passages, this phrase makes a comparison between the Christian life and a common image from daily living. The comparison strives to make the teaching more relevant and understandable. Let’s did into this comparison because you asked for it.

Before we look at Scriptures, we need to set a bigger stage for the concept of endurance. We live in a culture which makes it easy and acceptable to lack persistence. It becomes okay to give-up rather than work harder to endure.

Real Life Examples

The Vietnamese held an American marine in a prisoner-of-war camp. His colleagues described him as the strongest of soldiers, a Marine’s Marine. As the time in prison stretched on and on, he began to shuffle around camp in a lethargic way. The soldier became increasingly disconnected from the world around him. Finally he curled up in the corner of his cell and died. His last words were, “Wake me when this is over.”

The term give-up-itis was coined by Medical officers during the Korean War. They describe a condition which enveloped a person as they developed extreme apathy, gave up hope, relinquished the desire to live, and finally died even though there seemed to be no physical cause of death.

Medical professionals observed that the process of giving up usually occurred in stages. In the first stage, the individual began to withdraw from others in society. Their mood and motivation begins to drop, and a critical pattern develops. By withdrawing, the person loses access to resources and the presence of individuals who will encourage, strengthen, and provide motivation and guidance.

The second stage is marked by profound apathy. The third stage is called aboulia, a psychological term that describes a loss of will-power. In this stage the person loses the ability to make decisions. They generally give up on caring for themselves at this point. The fourth stage is psychic akinesia. The individual no longer feels pain, thirst, or hunger. They begin to lose control of their organs.

Then just before death, the person seems to regain desire and motivation. But it is a false sense. Instead of seeking a positive recovery, their goals and motivation appear to be directed toward ending their life. The end is around the corner.

Spiritual Applications

Doctors say the battle tales place in the mind.

Satan will battle fiercely for the control of your mind. He will use any weapon at his disposal to convince you their is no hope. The devil wishes to deceive you into thinking your only answer is to give up.

In comparing the Christian life to a foot race, the writer of Hebrews urges us

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

While we do not know for certain who wrote the book to the Hebrews, in this part of the book, the vocabulary and illustrations surely sound like the apostle Paul.

We are encouraged to run the race of Christianity with endurance. Don’t be deceived into giving up. The word many versions of the Bible translate “endurance” is the Greek word ὑπομονή (hoop-oh-men-ay). “Persistence” often occurs as the translation.

The word is a compound Greek word using a word meaning “under” and a word meaning “remain.” Literally we are urged “to remain under.” You are to endure in the race of your faith, to remain faithful under stress, persecution, temptation, and adversity. The endurance requires strength and persistence even in good times. Don’t give up. Remain.

Paul’s Conviction

The reason you are to not give up is that God does not give up on you. Paul is convinced that nothing can cause us to be separated from God.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 NIV

Run with endurance. Don’t give up. Finish the race.