What to do when you want to run

I want relief when I’m facing something difficult, especially if it is prolonged. I think you do too, which is why those who make chocolate, tobacco, alcohol, and People Magazine are doing quite well.But what happens when we get relief from something too soon? What is left unformed in us when we can bypass a difficult intersection of life?There is a little word found all throughout the New Testament, which encourages a different strategy. Histemi means “to withstand (it).” The imagery is that of a military campaign, and one’s ability to hold one’s ground in an attack. It can also mean to be confirmed or established.Sometimes we need to stand firm when we want to run.There is a poignant scene in Braveheart when, outnumbered and outgunned, William Wallace forms his gangly army into a line, armed with crude weapons and homemade spears. The only chance they have is if they hold those weapons until their enemy is face to face with them. They are twitching with fear and anxiety, but Wallace screams out, over and over, this one word: hold.This is what histemi looks like.When I want to run, I can convince myself that it is the right thing to do. I can even gather people around me who will tell me it’s okay to run. And sometimes, it is not only OK, but necessary for your survival, to run. But most of the time, what I need is the courage to hold my ground.Because I’ve been in this kind of a season for longer than I’d like, here is what I know about holding my ground:I can only hold my ground today. Tomorrow, I may slip, lose strength and fall. Today, I’m holding my ground.I can only hold my ground when others are committed to helping me do so. These are people who see me, who know me, and who sacrifice for me so that I can stand. I need these people.I can only hold my ground when I remember that God’s eyes are on me. I realize this might sound hopelessly childish or something that Christians are supposed to say. But the current has been so strong that for me, quite honestly, if I didn’t feel God’s eyes on me, I would be swept away.This holding is establishing something vital in me that I need. And so today, I will hold my ground.If you feel like running, but know you need to hold your ground, here are three questions that might help:Where - specifically - do you need to hold your ground?What might get established in you if you hold your ground instead of seeking relief?Who do you need to ask to help you to hold your ground?