Your old life is dead.  Your new life, which is your real life — even though invisible to spectators — is with Christ in God.  He is your life. — Colossians 3:3 (MSG)

I always enjoy Eugene Petersen’s (author of The Message paraphrase) take on the scriptures.  He speaks my language.  For reference here is the traditional verse:

for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. —Col 3:3 (NET)

If we’ve died to self, then we must live for Christ.  To spectators, it may look as though nothing has changed in this new life of ours.  Overtime, our obedience to Christ, through His discipline and training, will begin to change us into something new.  And when we look back, and perhaps others — spectators — do too, the change will be drastic.  Though in the now, the change is slow almost to the point it isn’t observable.  The focus, as Paul points out in other places too, isn’t on what has happened, but will happen.  Letting go, straining forward — racing.

Have a good race.