I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No SLOPPY living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself” – 1 Corinthians 9:26 (Message)

I ran cross country when I was in middle school. I wasn’t that good of a runner, but a few of my friends went out for it, so I decided to go out too. During practice, I remember my coach always strategizing with us. One of the things he always stressed to us was finishing strong. He wanted us to run as fast as we could to the finish line.

This was hard for me. By the time the race was almost over, running harder and faster was the farthest thing from my mind. I just wanted to go slower, give up, or take a break.

Today’s Truth: Don’t Give Up, Finish Strong

In the same way, in life you should be finishing strong in every area of your life. Whether it’s doing chores at your house, working on homework, or in any other area.

Today’s Bible verse talks about finishing strong. In life, it takes character to finish strong. You may want to give up when things get hard, but today’s verse challenges us to do the opposite. Instead of quitting when things get tough, we are challenged to keep running hard. This is difficult to do when you’re tired, frustrated, and just want to give up. However, true character is pushing past what seems difficult. Its when you push past what is comfortable that you really see great results.