It's Not How You Start, But How You Finish!

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. *2 Timothy 4:7*

We’ve all heard the old adage that “it’s not how you start, but how you finish”. Well, the same holds true for our faith in Jesus Christ. Indeed as Paul states it we’re in a race.

Many people who professed their faith in Christ started out very excited, only to succumb to the cares of this world. (Mark 4:18-19)

Make no mistake, Paul was no choir boy for Jesus at the beginning of his ministry…

The Bible gives us examples of people who started the race well but didn’t finish. Hezekiah, was a King of Judah. He’s referred to as someone who had a close relationship with God, and did “what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God”.

Now, much has been said about the Apostle Paul. Make no mistake, Paul was no choir boy for Jesus at the beginning of his ministry. One thing remains clear, his faith and ministry endured to the very end.

Consider that Paul started out as a major persecutor of Christians. You can read Paul’s testimony HERE. Paul (Saul before his conversion) was a fierce, religious zealot and persecutor of the early Church. But once he had an encounter with the living God, Paul became a powerful force in the Kingdom of God in spreading the Gospel throughout the world.

It’s important that we finish the race God has set before us.

Look at Peter who denied Jesus not once, not twice, but three times! Yet and still the Lord used Peter for His glory. When you read Peter’s letters to the churches, you can hear the grace in his voice as he encourages the believers. I also think of King David, who messed up royally in his personal life many times. Yet God considered him to be a “man after His heart”.

All of this lets us know that no matter where we may have started in our faith, we can finish and finish the journey strong. We may have made mistakes along the way. We will probably continue to make mistakes just like Paul, Peter, and David.

Thanks be to God, the mistakes we make don’t have to define who we are. Mistakes also don’t define who God intended for us to be. Let’s continue to fight the good fight of faith and finish the race strong!

Be Encouraged!
Stephanie

Prayer: Father, help me to fight the good fight of Faith and finish the race you have set before me. In Jesus name! Amen!