He runs past you precisely at that point in the race which you have always considered your strength. As he blows by you he also blows you away. Your confidence is gone now. And discouragement is deadly. The book of Hebrews speaks of the Christian life as a long-distance trek.
Sprint races end so quickly that no one has time to get discouraged.
But the long haul is different. It is so very long that it is difficult not to get discouraged. Still, discouragement is deadly, especially deadly, in the Christian life. And if discouragement is visited upon us just when we think we are at our point of greatest strength, it will be deadly for sure. When we do become discouraged we review the occasion of discouragement and tell ourselves that anyone would get discouraged in those circumstances.