“Life is a RACE ”, quipped the impatient Dean of an Engineering College, in a popular Bollywood movie; no one could agree more. For a Christian, life is expected to be a race; Apostle Paul (in II Tim 4:7), towards the end of his life talks about “finishing the race.”

If Apostle Paul lived in these times of 350cc bikes and 4G Internet, he would probably compare life to a Formula 1 Race. Everyone wants to run their race well, driven by personal ambition, expectations from family, friends & peers and the desire to Glorify God in our lives.

But, in this race called life, there are bound to be times when everything comes to a standstill; nothing seems to work out, any effort you put in seems fruitless, everyday seems hopeless and discouragement, despair and frustration set in. In general motor-sport lingo, such stops…or rather, pauses in the race are called PIT-STOPS; the driver of the race-car wants to race on, but is forced to enter the pit-stop.

What’s your Pit-stop ?

Your Pit-Stop could be a stage in life when you have completed your education and are struggling to find a suitable job or if you had a decent job and have been laid-off and you are currently desperate for a job. You may have enjoyed your youth but are struggling to find a suitable life-partner; you may have unexpectedly lost a loved-one, you may be experiencing failure in life, you may have been a fairly healthy person, but suddenly afflicted by health issues… your pit-stop could be anything that has forced your speeding life into a PAUSE mode!

Purpose of Pit-stops

Wikipedia’s definition of a pit stop is a place, “where a racing vehicle stops in the pits during a race for refueling, new tyres, repairs, mechanical adjustments…”

As hard as it seems to believe, the purpose of a pit-stop is to RECHARGE, REPLACE & RELAUNCH.

The Bible talks about a great prophet, who did mighty things, but was forced into a pit-stop: ELIJAH (Ref. I Kings 17 – II Kings 2). Elijah was a man whose prayer shut down the skies and the nation experienced a severe famine and converted a minute quantity of oil & flour into an unending supply. He raised a dead boy to life and single-handedly won a challenge against 450 false-prophets by calling down fire from heaven. But when he was forced by the situation, into a pause, he slid into depression and despair.

Pit-falls to avoid in a Pit-Stop

Based on the Biblical account of Elijah’s experience of his Pit-Stop, it would do us well to avoid the following Pit-falls:

1.     Bat-man Syndrome: In I Kings 19:9, when Elijah went to Horeb, the Mount of God, he got into a cave. The darkness and dampness of a cave are best suited for a Bat, not for a human being. Avoid getting into a shell, being a Bat kind of a man (or a woman).

a.      Go out into the world, meet people and build yourself a network of supportive or positive people. If you are looking for a job, feel free to float your resume across to your contacts and your contacts’ contacts.

b.     Avoid company of Bat-men (or women); you cannot fly like an eagle when you walk around with chickens. Remember, “Bat-company” corrupts good character.

c.      Seek advice / counsel: Talk to people who are experienced in handling queries related to your issue. It is a wise thing to get advice from someone who has walked that path before you.

2.     Pity-party Disorder: In I Kings 19:10, Elijah complains to God about his situation and goes on to add that he is the only one going through the persecution. He organized for himself a nice Self-Pity-Party. God later reminds Elijah, that he was not the only one and that there were seven thousand others who were faithful to God and were likely being persecuted.

a.      Stop complaining about your situation and asking yourself “Why Me?”

b.     Please recognize that you are not the only person who is facing the issue that you are currently battling.

c.      Count your blessings and be grateful for the things that you have, instead of grumbling about things that you do not have.

"I complained that I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet."

3.     Hopelessness: In I Kings 19:4, Elijah loses his sense of purpose and asks God to take his life. When we lose hope we become hopeless! When we lose track of the big picture, that God has called us for, our struggle/situation appears to be a dead-end.  

a.      Understand that situations are temporary, but the plan & purpose of God is eternal.

b.     Ensure that our ambitions, plans and desires do not supersede our love for God.

“Good things come to those who Believe, Better things come to those who Wait and the Best Things come to those who Do Not Give Up”

In a pit-stop, the easiest thing to do is to fall for any or all of the above pit-falls. But, these pit-falls can have disastrous and possibly dangerous consequences.

Handling Pit-Stops

Although Elijah did not understand his God-planned pit-stop at that time, God, in His abundant mercy used his pit-stop experience to achieve greater purposes in his life.

1.     RECHARGE:

In I Kings 19:5-8, Elijah was fed by an Angel, and was so recharged that he traveled for 40 days in the strength of that food.

Consider your present situation as a forced-vacation and try to do things that your normal schedule does not permit you to do.

a.      Spend extra time on reading your Bible and praying, that would strengthen your spiritual life.

b.     Read inspirational books/biographies or meet people that you were planning to meet since a long time, to keep your mind positive.

c.      Pick up a sport / exercise, concentrate on your diet; that will keep you physically in-shape.

d.     Planning a brief vacation is not a bad idea to soothe stressed nerves.

In essence, make every possible attempt to get yourself physically fit, mentally tough and spiritually fresh. After all, a Pit-stop is used to refuel the vehicle for the rest of the race!

2.     REPLACE:

When Elijah stopped focusing on the fear of what men could do and his feelings of being alone, God’s voice was heard, and Elijah went on to be taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.

Pit-stops are meant to be a time of replacing old worn-out parts with brand new ones. Replace negative things and discouraging people in your life, with a positive outlook and motivated people.

a.      If you are looking for a job, it would possibly be helpful, if you replaced your current skill-set with a new skill.

b.     If you are looking for a life-partner, replace your discouraging friends/relatives with positive and supportive friends.

c.      Replace the burden of missed opportunities with countless opportunities that are still available.

3.     RELAUNCH:

In I Kings 19:15, 16, God gave Elisha a mission to anoint 2 kings and to prepare another prophet, who would take his place. The happenings in the previous few days, gave him a fresh perspective about his calling and he was back on the prophetic circuit, with a bang. An F1 car launches out of the pit-lane and reaches speeds of up to 375kmph within a few seconds.

Recharging yourself and replacing old/worn-out feelings/attitudes/skills will help you re-launch with a new vigor; get ready to ride!!!

"For all your days prepare, And meet them ever alike

When you are the anvil, bear. When you are the hammer, strike"

– Quoted by former-President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Points to Ponder:

1.     A Pit-stop is a necessity, not a ritual. Failure to stop by, may reduce the chances of the driver’s winning or worse, cause damage to life & limb.

2.     A Pit-stop is parallel to the race-track; it’s a de-tour, not a departure from the actual race.

3.     A Pit-stop is temporary and for as little time as necessary.

4.     A Pit-stop is a bend, it’s not a dead-end.

The team manager may not be physically present in a Pit-stop, but it is his responsibility to decide the number of pit-stops, the amount of fuel to be replenished, which parts are to be replaced, etc. The reason is because from a higher-level, he gets a better view of the race ahead. God, as our manager, knows what is best for us, since he has a better view of things in our lives, from above. So, if you are bewildered by the frequency of your pit-stops and their timing, simply trust God with His view-point.