Finish the Race Humbly
When Paul neared the end of his life, he wrote,
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith… The Lord stood by me and gave me strength.”
(2 Timothy 4:7, 17)
There’s something deeply moving about those words. Paul doesn’t say, “I won the race.” He says, “I finished.” He doesn’t boast about his performance, instead he gives credit to God’s presence: “The Lord stood by me.” For Paul, finishing well meant running faithfully, not flawlessly.
I learned something about that kind of humility back when I ran track in middle school. I decided to try long-distance running, something I thought I could conquer with pure confidence and energy. When the race began, I sprinted ahead, leaving the others behind. I felt great about myself, I was strong, fast, untouchable.
But as the laps went on, my breathing grew heavy, my legs began to burn, and one by one, those same runners I had left behind started passing me. My early confidence quickly faded into exhaustion. By the end, I barely finished.
I realized that long-distance running isn’t about speed, it’s about pacing and humility. You have to know your limits, listen to your body, and trust the process. Those who finished ahead of me weren’t the proudest or the fastest, they were the ones who ran humbly, with steady discipline and focus.
That memory has stuck with me because faith is a lot like that race. There are times when we start strong, full of energy and excitement. But if we run only on confidence and pride, we’ll burn out. Humility is what allows us to endure, to stay steady when the race gets long and hard.
That’s what Jesus was teaching in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9–14). The Pharisee ran to be seen. The tax collector ran to be forgiven. The Pharisee sprinted ahead with pride; the tax collector paced himself with humility. And in the end, it was the humble one who found favor with God.
When Paul said, “The Lord stood by me,” he was saying that no matter how hard the race got, he was never running alone. And that’s the good news for us, too. Whether we’re leading the pack or struggling to take the next step, the Lord stands by us. Every stride, every stumble, every finish line, God is there.
So, whatever race you’re running today, whether it’s a season of service, endurance, or waiting, just remember:
You don’t have to be the fastest. You don’t have to have it all figured out. Just keep the faith. Run humbly. And trust that the Lord who began the race with you will be waiting at the finish line. Because in the end, finishing well means running with love—faithful, humble, and never alone.
In God’s grip,
Pastor Chuck Church
Prayer:
Lord, teach me to run my race with humble faith.
When I grow weary, remind me that You stand beside me.
When pride makes me rush ahead, teach me to pace myself in grace.
And when I cross the finish line, may I do so with gratitude,
knowing that every step was guided by Your faithful hand.
Amen.
