Last fall my daughter and I ran four half marathons for a fundraiser and during that time our pastor spoke on finishing well. It really reached me at the time and since I have a particularly demanding two months ahead of me, I dug up my sermon notes to review. You can listen to the full sermon via the link at the bottom. 
- Finishing well is making the decision to suffer at all costs to follow through
- If you are afraid to suffer, you cannot love (If you fear tears/loss/rejection, you cannot love)
- If you fear pain/loss, you will not succeed in business or any aspect of life
- An athlete wins because he suffers: gets up earlier, works harder, trains longer
- A soldier makes the decision before he goes into battle that whatever is needed (sight/limb/his life) he will give it.
- Vs. 12–I haven’t arrived but I know where I am going
- Finishing well is not coasting because you think you are close!
- You can’t go into neutral in your marriage or your life. Finishing well is “keep going and don’t become passive.”
- When you know what in your life you need to lay hold of–go get it!
- Vs. 13–Forget the things that are behind and press forward.
- 2 Timothy 4:7–There is only one good fight.
Get back on course…and finish!
Yay and Amen! Thank you for this timely reminder not just to keep going/keep going through the motions, or even to coast – but to finish well. Strangely enough, my post yesterday was also on Philippians 3 and the reminder of keeping on to reach the goal. Seems like the Lord is trying to teach me something?!
It usually works out that way for me too, Penelope!