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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
Reflect
We can learn a lot by looking at the animal kingdom. Even though I’m not a cat person, the “big cats” of Africa and Asia have always fascinated me. The lion has incredible night vision that helps it hunt. The tiger combines beauty with strength and speed. The leopard can haul prey into trees. And the jaguar has one of the most powerful bites among the big cats.
And then there’s the cheetah.
It’s amazing that no one has ever named a car after this cat because it’s the fastest land animal in the world. A cheetah can accelerate with astonishing speed and reach close to 70 miles per hour. That speed, however, doesn’t last very long. After only a few hundred yards, it has to slow down.
A lot of Christians are spiritual cheetahs. They race into tasks with tremendous zeal and energy, but then they aren’t able to sustain their efforts beyond a short period of time. God’s call to us may require a sprint at times, but more often He calls us to faithful endurance over the long haul.
As a comparison to the cheetah, think about the pronghorn, sometimes called the American antelope. It’s still incredibly fast, reaching speeds around 55 miles per hour. But unlike the cheetah, the pronghorn is built for distance. It can maintain high speeds over several miles.
So, spiritually speaking, are you a cheetah or a pronghorn? Do you speed quickly into things the Lord has put on your heart, only to fizzle out after a brief time? Or do you keep running with the Lord’s strength over the long distance?
The Christian life itself is a marathon. It requires us to pace ourselves not for a day or a week or a year, but for a lifetime. Along the way, there will also be particular things the Lord puts on our hearts to do. The challenge is not simply to begin them with enthusiasm, but to keep going when the excitement wears off.
Hebrews doesn’t just tell us to run. It tells us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us,” and then immediately reminds us where our eyes belong: “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.” Our endurance doesn’t come simply from stubbornness or determination. It comes from continuing to look to Christ and depending on Him for the strength to keep moving.
Yes, the cheetah is beautiful, and people are in awe of its strength and speed. No one much thinks about the pronghorn as a creature they desire to emulate. But when it comes to getting things done for the Lord, the less spectacular animal may offer the better picture.
We tend to notice impressive starts. God values faithfulness.
Today, regardless of what the Lord has called you to do, remember these two creatures. Ask Him for the energy to start, and maybe even to start quickly. But ask Him even more for the strength to keep going and finish the task ahead.
An impressive start may draw attention, but the race is completed through faithful endurance—and the strength to finish comes from the Lord.
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Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt and Charles Fulton.
