We spent a few hours yesterday at a track meet for one of the girls from our church. We had a great time cheering her and her teammates on. There were competitors from four different schools. Some of them would fly around the track; others would struggle and fall a lap or two behind. But they all had one thing in common. They all finished the race. Not a single competitor didn’t cross the finish line.

Finish the Race

No matter what position they came in, no matter how far behind they were, they always finished. Sometimes it would be a sole competitor running an entire lap by themself because everybody else had already crossed the finish line. And yet, when those stragglers came into view, every person–whether in the stands or runners on the field–would start cheering for them as if they were going to win the race. It was pretty amazing. Teammates and opposing teams alike would stand on the sidelines and clap and cheer them on to the finish line.

Why? Why would they do that? Even when they were dead last? Because they finished. Each runner out there and every parent in the stands knows how much hard work goes into training and then running out there and giving it your all. So when each player simply finished the race, it was like they received a standing ovation.

It’s How You Finish that Counts

There’s a powerful lesson to be learned here. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish or that you finish at all. It’s the same in the Christian race; it’s not how you start, it’s not the stumbles and falls you had along the way, it’s how you finish the race that counts.

Paul understood this principle. He often spoke of the Christian life as a race, and he was proud of the way he had run his race. He stayed faithful and finished his race, and he would receive the rewards for that.

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.  And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

II Timothy 4:6-8

Handicaps for Racing

There was another thing I noticed sitting there yesterday. Some runners seemed to have an unfair advantage. They were tall with lean bodies and long legs that ate up the track. Then there were others that were much shorter and had to work even harder to run as fast. They seemed to take two strides for every one stride the taller athletes took. And yet, they weren’t given any special help or conditions. They had to run just like everybody else, and they had to finish. Some of them even beat out the taller, longer legged runners.

Sometimes, we are given handicaps along our race; handicaps that make it harder for us to run. Those around us may be running just fine, but our handicap is slowing us down. Those handicaps may come in the form of financial struggles, health problems, chronic pain, addictions, mental health struggles, infertility, single-hood, divorce, loss of a loved one…the list goes on and on. And yet, in spite of those handicaps, we still have a race to run; we have to still finish.

Running with Endurance

Paul tells us what we have to do. We have to get rid of the weights that slow us down and the sins that trip us up and then run with endurance, no matter what handicaps we have.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 

Hebrews 12:1

It seems like an impossible task–running this race of life with handicaps and still expected to finish. How do we do it? How do we find that endurance when life is so hard at times? Paul didn’t leave us without an answer. It comes in the next verse.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 

Hebrews 12:2

Focusing on Jesus

We run with endurance, handicaps and all, by keeping our focus on Jesus and remembering that He gave everything, so that we could have eternal life. As we run, we focus on the fact that one day, we will see him face to face.

We also run with endurance by remembering the cloud of witnesses in heaven, looking down on us. They are those who have run their race ahead of ours and have finished. Now they watch us run ours, and are cheering from the grand stands of Heaven.

Finish Your Race

You may feel tired today; you may feel like your handicaps have cost you the race. Or maybe sin and its destruction has kept you from even running. It’s not too late. Paul gives us these encouraging words.

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.^. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

Hebrews 12:12,13

It’s time to get back in the race today. If you’re already in the race, this is your encouragement to keep going. Keep running towards Jesus; keep your eyes on the prize. Stay faithful. Remember that it’s not how you start the race, it’s how you finish.

One day, we will finish our race. We will stand before God and give account of our lives. Will we face God with regret? Or with joy, knowing we ran the race He gave us and we didn’t give up. We finished.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, The One Guarantee if You Quit.