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(2 Timothy 4:7) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
SERIES 7: WALKING WITH JESUS - “How do I now live because I belong to Christ?” 27. Finishing well (Faithfulness is measured over a lifetime).
Following Jesus is not just about how we begin... It is about remaining faithful to Him throughout our lives and finishing well.
Starting well is important, but finishing well matters too.
Many things in life begin with enthusiasm. Many of us start our walk with Jesus full of excitement, faith and good intentions (Matthew 13:3) — “Behold, a sower went forth to sow.”... But as we see from this Scripture, following Christ is not a short race. It is a lifelong journey. So, Faithfulness is not measured by how strongly we begin, but by whether we 'choose' to continue to walk with Jesus to the end.
Paul understood this. As he looked towards the end of his earthly life, he did not boast about everything he had achieved. Instead, he said, “I have kept the faith.”
That is the heart of finishing well. There will be seasons when following Jesus feels easy and joyful. There will also be times when we become tired, disappointed or discouraged. Prayers may seem unanswered. Circumstances may not change. We may wonder whether our efforts are making any difference. But God sees what we cannot.
He sees the quiet acts of obedience. He sees the prayers nobody else hears. He sees the times we choose forgiveness instead of bitterness, faith instead of fear, and obedience instead of taking the easier path.
You may not see the fruit of your faithfulness today. That doesn't mean it isn't growing.
Finishing well doesn't mean finishing perfectly. We will stumble. We will have questions. We will sometimes become weary. It means that, despite all of that, we keep coming back to Jesus.
So don't compare your journey with someone else's. Don't worry about how impressive your life looks to other people.
Simply keep walking. Keep trusting. Keep serving. Keep the faith.
And when your journey is finally complete, may you be able to say with Paul: “I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”
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Let's pray, "Heavenly Father thank You that loving You puts a holy tenacity in my heart... thank You Lord." Amen!
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