Finishing The Race

When Paul described the Christian walk, he sometimes likened it to a race. Using the images of the Roman Colosseum, he pictures us running while believers who have gone before cheered us on (Hebrews 11–12). While there is something to be said about having others cheer us on, there is the personal accomplishment side that reminds us that the race we run and win becomes a real part of us. A great example of finishing the race and what it feels like is found in the article “How It Feels to Cross the Finish Line” by Erin Mink Garvey. The encouragement of Garvey is key: “You are capable of doing really hard things, my friend, and that capability now applies to all aspects of your life. Through training for and then racing a marathon, half, ultra, or full at SF, you’ve willingly given yourself numerous opportunities to work through hard circumstances, times when it would have been much easier to stop and quit than to struggle and possibly fail. The tenacity that you’ve developed through training for, and racing, a race of that magnitude is impressive and will serve you well in life” (“How It Feels to Cross the Finish Line,” San Francisco Marathon, July 23, 2018, https://www.thesfmarathon.com/blog/2018/07/23/how-it-feels-to-cross-the-finish-line/). A great reminder that God has made us to finish and in the finish is a great, personal reward.