I like running. I always have. Well, some days I wish I ran more, but that doesn’t change the fact that I like running. Running, almost always, reminds me of Paul’s illustration: life is a race.

Life is a race. Now it’s not the race that society tries to get us into: the who’s-got-a-bigger-house (or even a house to begin with) race, the who-has-more-zeros-on-the-paycheck race, and all other races which would not matter in light of eternity. Paul puts it very well in 1 Corinthians 9:25, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever”.

We all know that professional athletes go through strict training and spend years on it for the highly-coveted metal we call a medal. This leads us to this question: if even athletes competing for a perishable crown put so much effort into it, so then why are we - ones competing for a much more precious and imperishable crown -  paying so little attention?

Having participated in a few runs, I have learnt that talent aside, there are a few deciding factors that a runner can and should pay attention to in order to run the race well: physical fitness, stamina, diet, the right running shoes and attire, and if he/she decides to go for any, the right running partner(s). If a runner does decide to run in a team, it really doesn’t matter how fit he is or how fast he runs if his teammates are not as fit or fast. Who a runner runs with plays a decisive role in when a runner would finish, or if he would finish at all.

Unfortunately, this is something we as Christians tend to forget. Our race for the imperishable crown is not only determined by our soul’s fitness, but also by the soul’s fitness of the people we surround ourselves with: our closest friends, people in our inner circle, and last but not least, the ultimate teammate: our spouse/partner (for those who do not have the gift of celibacy).

Your romantic relationship highly affects your relationship with God, the well-being of your soul, and the outcome of your race. This is why the importance of being equally yoked cannot be stressed often enough. How will you ever get to the finish line if your teammate is not even running the same race you are? How would you run the race together if you are running in opposite directions and aiming for different finish lines and prizes altogether?

Don’t only look for a partner who loves you: look for one who loves God first, then you. Pray for them and be honest to yourself: Will this person slow you down in your race - or even get you off track? Seek for counsel. Test the relationship. Don’t rush. After all, when we “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, then all these things [including the right partner] will be given to you [us] as well”. (Matthew 6:33)

Yarra Wellney is an Indonesian student currently studying in Berlin, Germany. She is a ball of confusion: she loves football, is almost always hungry, and listens to mostly jazz and oldies. Apart from that, she currently serves at her church in Berlin, writes for the Indonesian- based Pearl Magazine, and sometimes blogs about her journey with Christ... catch her blog here.