How much do we want it?

When I prepare myself for an endurance event (Marathon, Ironman), I have to set a side at least 12 weeks to train. That is, if I want to make sure that it will likely be an enjoyable experience and finish without injuries. Can one do those without proper training? Of course. But it will be more of a gamble.

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Such is with our lives. Are we serious about becoming holy? One cannot be fit for a marathon in a week, but with persistence, he/she will get stronger and fitter with each passing week. There is also no shortcut to holiness, only persistence. Persistence in the midst of temptation and failures. Are we willing and humble enough to learn from those and change for the better?

One of the main deterrents of people doing something like an endurance event is because they already think about the distance, the length of time to finish, and how on earth would one be able to finish that? And yes, I find that my journey to holiness is also like that. If I keep thinking how far I am with being holy, it is daunting. However, there are two sayings in endurance preparation: “trust the training” and “your training does not lie”. This is where faith comes in. Yes, the journey is far, but we are only ask to step one at a time, trust God. Our effort does not lie. Even when it seems daunting or useless, we get back to the original question: How much do we want it? How much do we want to be holy, to be prepared for, and participate in God’s Kingdom?