I was blessed to hear the testimonies of graduating seniors at the Baptist University of the Américas graduation dinner. Many have wonderful stories of where they have come from and how far they have come. The stories brought those in the audience—parents, friends, faculty, staff and a president—to tears.
Rene Maciel Speakers voiced a persistent theme: “I wanted to quit. I can’t do this!” Over and over, they expressed a feeling of being overwhelmed with the reading, the projects, the papers and the tests. They were ready to stop. But they didn’t.
Does this sound familiar? I am not just talking about college classes. I am talking about life. Sometimes we just feel overwhelmed with all that is on our plate, or the pressures of life start to squeeze us from all sides. Those pressures add up, and we start to trust and lean on our own abilities to solve those issues. Then we struggle and lose sight of the mission, the task and the life to which God has called us. We lose sight of him, and then we truly struggle with our brokenness and sin.
Then God surrounds us with family and friends and other encouragers and reminds us, even through our distance and struggle, to lay those struggles aside. He says to lay aside those feelings of inadequacy, of doubts and fears, of giants in the land. He reminds us to press on for the prize, to run the race.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:1-2, NASB).
It is not a sprint. It is a journey, run with endurance. It is a race God has set before you. Run, try hard, don’t give up, keep going. And most of all, fix your gaze, fix your sight, fix your eyes on Jesus. Like Peter, when we take our eyes off the Savior, the winds get high, and the waters start to roll.
I am proud of my seniors and so grateful to hear how God brought them through the storm. When your life gets full, remember to fix your eyes on the One who is the Creator and the Source of your faith.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.
Looking forward to seeing you at the BGCT Annual Meeting in Waco, Nov. 13-15.
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René Maciel is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and president of Baptist University of the Américas in San Antonio.
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