Finishing Strong: How to Complete Your Christian Journey with Purpose

We all want to finish strong in life, whether it's completing a degree, achieving a career goal, or most importantly, living out our faith. Recently, an inspiring story emerged about 80-year-old Linwood Riddick, who received his Bachelor of Arts degree from South Carolina State University. Despite putting his education on hold to serve in the military and facing challenges from segregation, Riddick made a promise to himself that he would walk across that graduation stage before leaving this earth. His story reminds us that it's never too late to finish what we started.

Why Do We Sometimes Give Up on Our Dreams?

As humans, we all want to win and achieve our dreams, whether they're small or significant. Most of us believe we can accomplish what we set out to do, but some find the journey overwhelming. Others believe their dreams can never become reality, leading them to quit halfway through.

This message is particularly for those who sometimes give up, who believe their God-given dreams are too much to handle. Whatever God has placed in your heart - whatever dream or goal - you can achieve it. In our Christian journey, God has provided a way for us to finish strong. He never intended for us to start the journey only to turn back.

What Does the Bible Say About Running the Race?

The Bible compares the believer's spiritual journey to a race. The apostle Paul wrote, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize" (1 Corinthians 9:24).

Unlike Olympic races where only one person wins the gold medal, the Christian race is unique - everyone who finishes can receive the prize. This is why Scripture encourages us to "run in such a way as to get the prize." We must live as if we want to finish strong.

The Importance of Self-Discipline and Training

Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 9:25: "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."

Athletes don't just show up on game day expecting to win. They have strict routines, daily training schedules, prescribed diets, and countless hours of preparation. If athletes do this for temporary prizes, shouldn't Christians have similar dedication for eternal rewards?

What Should Our Training Routine Look Like?

Just as professional athletes can't skip practice without serious consequences, we need consistent spiritual disciplines. Consider these questions:

- Do we pray outside of church services?

- Do we read God's Word beyond Sunday mornings?

- Do we meditate on Scripture?

- Are we living balanced lives that honor God?

Self-discipline means denying ourselves certain pleasures for the greater good. It's organizing our lives so every aspect is cared for - mentoring young people, spending quality time with family, and maintaining balance between spiritual growth and practical responsibilities.

Bringing Our Bodies Under Control

Paul explains his approach in 1 Corinthians 9:27: "I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

Paul disciplined his body like a master controls a slave. Our bodies don't always want to do what our spirits know is right. That's why we must take control and tell our bodies what to do, not the other way around.

Staying Focused on the Game Plan

Athletes succeed because they stick to their game plan. In team sports, players don't just show off individual skills - they work together to execute a coordinated strategy. Similarly, Christians need to stay focused on God's plan for their lives.

Throwing Off What Hinders Us

Hebrews 12:1-2 provides our spiritual game plan: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus."

Just as athletes run with minimal clothing to avoid being slowed down, we must remove everything that hinders our spiritual progress. This includes the works of the flesh mentioned in Galatians 5:19-21: sexual immorality, hatred, jealousy, selfish ambition, and other destructive behaviors.

We must also throw off "the sin that so easily entangles." Sin creates complicated circumstances from which it's difficult to escape. But God calls us to break free and run with perseverance.

Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

The key to staying on track is "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." This is our equivalent to sticking to the game plan. When athletes make mistakes, they can't dwell on them - they must quickly refocus on the next play.

Similarly, when things go wrong in our lives, we cannot stay stuck in past failures. We must look ahead, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus. Yesterday's troubles should stay in yesterday so we can focus on today's opportunities.

Learning from Paul's Example

Paul's transformation from persecutor to apostle demonstrates the power of moving forward. Despite his past as Saul, who consented to Stephen's stoning and persecuted Christians, Paul didn't let his history define his future.

In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul shares his secret: "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Forgetting What's Behind

Paul chose to forget his past failures and strain toward what lay ahead. Sometimes God forgives us, but we haven't forgiven ourselves. We remain trapped, replaying our mistakes over and over. But this isn't God's plan for us.

We can't live in the past. If we've asked God for forgiveness, we must accept it and forgive ourselves. God has already moved on - we should too.

Getting Back Up When We Fall

Like marathon runners who stumble but get back up to continue the race, we must develop the same resilience. When we fall as Christians, we can get right back up and keep going. The race isn't over until it's over.

You might be facing difficult circumstances right now. Perhaps you're questioning whether to remain a Christian because things aren't working out as expected. The road ahead may seem difficult, lonely, or frightening. But remember - you still have the opportunity to finish strong.

Think about Job, who faced tremendous suffering but refused to curse God. Consider Linwood Riddick, who waited 80 years but never gave up on his dream. These examples show us that perseverance pays off.

Life Application

This week, commit to developing a consistent spiritual training routine. Just as athletes prepare for competition through disciplined practice, we must prepare for spiritual victory through regular prayer, Bible reading, and meditation on God's Word.

Choose one area where you've been inconsistent and create a specific plan to improve. Whether it's daily prayer, weekly Bible study, or monthly service to others, start small but be consistent. Remember, the goal isn't perfection but progress toward finishing strong.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What past failures am I still dwelling on that need to be left behind?

- What specific spiritual disciplines do I need to incorporate into my daily routine?

- How can I better fix my eyes on Jesus when facing current challenges?

- What dream or calling has God placed in my heart that I need to pursue with renewed determination?

Make up your mind today that you want to finish strong. Nothing should hold you back from completing the race God has set before you. The opportunity to finish well is still available - the question is whether you're willing to do what it takes to get there.