Running With Horses
Endurance is not in our speed but in the strength of the One who runs within us.
Devotional Credit:
Immeasurably More – “Can You Compete With Horses?”
Photo Credit:
Unsplash
When Jeremiah faced heartbreaking injustice and violence, he cried out to God with the same “why” questions we still ask today. If God is loving, why doesn’t He stop it? If He is powerful, why doesn’t He intervene? God’s answer to Jeremiah was not to explain the reasons or immediately remove the pain. Instead, He asked Jeremiah what he would do when it became worse. If running with ordinary men exhausts you, how will you run with horses? If you stumble on level ground, how will you make it through the tangled thickets by the Jordan?
God’s response was not harsh but deeply instructive. It was a call to anchor faith in Him before the pressures intensify. The reality is that the world will not grow gentler. Jesus Himself told us that wars, disasters, and fear would increase as time draws near to His return. These, He said, would only be the beginning of sorrows. If we are shaken now, what will happen when the storms grow fiercer?
Today’s devotional from Ray Stedman reminds us that we often expect God to remove every obstacle and make life easy. But He did not tell Jeremiah, “I will fix this and protect you from strain.” Instead, He told him to prepare for greater difficulty. This was not to discourage Jeremiah but to strengthen him for a faith that endures under pressure.
The call to Jeremiah is the same for us: to live from the unshakable reality of Jesus’ indwelling life, trusting Him to carry us through the hardest seasons, not just the manageable ones. If our footing is sure in Him now, we will not collapse when the race becomes a sprint with horses.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I am your stability when the ground beneath you shakes. Do not set your trust in the ease of today’s path, for I am preparing you for tomorrow’s race. The strength you need is not drawn from your own effort but from My life within you. You can do all things through Me, for I am the One who enables you to stand when the winds rise and the road steepens.
The trials you face now are not wasted. They are forming in you a steadfast heart that will not be moved. As you yield to Me, you will find that what once overwhelmed you will no longer shake you. My power is perfected in your weakness. I am your shield, your sure foundation, and your endurance when the race lengthens beyond what you thought possible.
Do not look at the horses with fear. Look to Me. I have already run the course before you, and I run it now in you. Rest in the truth that you are in Me, and I in you. When the way is clear or when it is choked with thorns, you are never alone.
Scripture References: Philippians 4:13, Isaiah 40:31, 2 Corinthians 12:9–10, Psalm 18:2, Hebrews 12:1–2, Colossians 3:3, John 15:4–5, Joshua 1:9
Real-Life Analogy
Think of carrying a grocery bag filled with only a few items. At first, it feels light. But if you suddenly add more weight, you realize whether your grip is strong or if your fingers will give out. The strength to carry the heavier bag doesn’t appear when you reach the top of the driveway; it’s built by lifting what you can today.
In the same way, the smaller trials of life are not meant to discourage you but to prepare you for seasons that require greater endurance. When you face an unexpected demand or a difficult conversation today, pause and say, “Lord, I trust You to be my steadiness and my perseverance in this moment.” Yield the outcome to Him, knowing His life in you will carry the true weight.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that my capacity to endure is not measured by my natural limits but by Your life in me. You are my strength, my stability, and my endurance. I praise You that no trial arrives without the provision of Your sufficiency. Whether I walk on level ground or run with horses, I rest in the certainty that You will carry me through. My life is hidden in You, and in every race, You are my victory.