A Prayer About Finishing Strong

When I begin to tire in life’s race

DEAR GOD,

A marathon runner needs conditioning, nourishment, resolve, and encouragement. Anyone can buy nice running shoes and shorts, cheer at the starting gun, and take off quickly with a flourish. But many quickly tire and slow to nearly a crawl. Others exhaust all their resources, convince themselves that they can’t take another step, and quit. Still others limp through the last half and barely get to the end. The Christian “race” seems to follow a similar pattern. I have seen many who began with energy, enthusiasm, and optimism. Eventually, however, these same “runners” struggle, limp along, or drop out. I don’t want to be one of the casualties, Lord. But even if I can see the end in sight, I don’t want to merely survive and settle for just making it to the end. I want to finish well, strong—enduring, yes, but giving everything I have, my all, as I stretch for the line and enter eternity, the heavenly prize, with joy. I want to make a difference while I live. Please empower, motivate, and uphold me, Lord.

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13-14