"Start Well...Finish Well"

   We just crossed the threshold from 2025 to 2026. How does that make you feel…other than possibly a bit older? Are you excited about a new year leading to a fresh start or are you bummed that you didn’t meet your goals from 2025? Maybe a little of both.

They saying goes “it’s not how you start that matters but how you finish.” I happen to agree with that. Typically the easiest part of a project is at the beginning when there is the most hope and excitement for how a project will turn out. We’ve yet to experience the roadblocks or unknowns that discourage us from moving forward.

What typically happens this time of year? New Year resolutions: “I want to be a better person.” “I want to do exercise more.” “I want to save money.” Etc. We want to commit to more than usual because the excitement is there to motivate us. In a short time span though, that excitement wears off, we find ourselves quitting or struggling to maintain the stamina to keep going.

This does not just happen the beginning of every year with typical resolutions, it happens with commitments to things of the Lord i.e. praying for someone’s salvation, church attendance, giving to a worthy cause, or fulfilling the ministry duties I signed up for, etc.

“Start Well…but Finish Well too”

Some people get discouraged because of past failures. Some people get to the point where they think they “put in their time.”

If we look at Paul’s life, we both ends of the spectrum. Paul counts himself as the greatest sinner of all time. I Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”

   If we look at Paul’s life, we can easily see how unlikely it is that anyone could say they have done or experienced more. Just check out 2 Corinthians 11:23-29. Paul chooses not to consider either of these excuses, but instead makes the right decision to

“forget what is behind and pressing on toward what is ahead” (Philippians 3:13) and rightfully chooses to run his race as to “win the prize for which God has called him heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Paul wasn’t content with his relationship with the Lord, or even how he lived for the Lord. He knew he could do better, and that was his goal, so he put the past behind him and pressed on into the future.

  “It’s not how you start that matters but how you finish.” 

If you are a believer, you’ve already started “running your race.” How are you doing?

Are you discouraged by your past failures?

Are you satisfied with what you’ve already done?

Forget what you did or didn’t do. Don’t dwell on it.

You can’t change it.

All you can do is make the decision today (with God’s help) to do better.

                                                                                                                                ~Running the race as well,

                                                                                                                                                                Pastor Josh