Everybody faces challenges in life – hurdles we must jump if we are to continue on our race. But have you noticed that whenever you take your eyes off the goal, always looking around to see where everyone else is, you often lose your focus, trip, and can easily be overtaken? True in road races; true in life.

Running and training clearly require focused dedication and perseverance – not just to avoid the pitfalls, but to successfully reach the finished line. This too applies in life.

You might have heard a lot of talk about perseverance and “going the extra mile” in life – and that’s a good thing. In fact, Jesus taught us to go the extra mile in service to others. But we often overlook the importance of going the first mile.

Joggers know in training, that it’s not always the third, fourth, or tenth mile that’s the toughest, but it’s often the first mile. It’s just getting started that can be the biggest challenge. So remember, whether you’re training for a big race, or simply for the daily race of life, the extra mile doesn’t mean anything unless you faithfully go the first mile and keep your eyes on the goal.