*The following article was originally published in The Henderson Daily Dispatch, Saturday edition, September 15, 2012
Well, the Olympics have come and gone for another four
years. Over the course of those two weeks, I probably watched more TV than the
entire year combined! But, I’m always captivated and inspired to watch the best
athletes in the world compete for their country.
Michael Phelps, capturing his
22nd Olympic medal inspired me to pull out my swimsuit. The hot sand
was calling my name as I watched beach volleyball stars Kerri Walsh and Misty
May-Treanor win gold in their third straight Olympic games. I searched for my
running shoes after seeing the fastest runner in the world, Usain Bolt win the
gold. The “Fabulous Five” inspired me to start tumbling.
Well, ok, that’s going
a bit too far! But, nevertheless, our hearts are often moved to tears along
with these athletes because we know that their success came at a high price. It
came as the result of hard work, perseverance, and overcoming significant
adversity.
However, regardless of the competition, it can be said
that success is determined not only by how well you begin, but also by how well
you end. A strong start is only as good as a strong finish. To put it another
way, a weak finish negates a strong start. Many athletes can begin a race or a
match impressively strong, focused and determined, but if they become injured or
lack the stamina to finish, that strong start is useless.
I’m sure you would agree that there is much satisfaction
in finishing something that you have begun. Just think about graduation day and
the sense of accomplishment as you walked across the stage to receive your high
school or college diploma. In the end, the hard work and perseverance paid off!
The Christian life is not easy. That may seem trite, but
it is true. Some mistakenly assume that once you become a child of God, your
struggles are over. They are misguided and disillusioned about what it means to
follow a crucified (yet resurrected) Savior. As a result, many Christians begin
their walk with Christ strong, focused and determined; but as the pressures of
life mount, they lose heart, become discouraged and abandon their journey.
It may surprise you to know that the great apostle Paul
struggled to be faithful to God. In fact, he described his Christian life as a
constant battle (2 Cor. 11:23-28; Rom. 7:14-20). Faced with persecution,
betrayal, abandonment, hunger, and even death threats, there were many times
when he wanted to throw in the towel. Yet, he persevered. Many words describe
his walk with the Lord, but easy is not one of them!
Can you identify with Paul? We all can. Our faith in God
is not proven by how well we begin, but by how well we end. It’s easy to
publically profess Jesus as Savior and Lord and be baptized. It’s an entirely
different matter to commit the rest of your life to following and serving Him.
When you feel like giving up, just consider the example of Paul. Live your life
in such a way that you, too, can say, “I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the course, I have kept the faith…” (2 Timothy 4:7 NASB)
By: Brett W. Marlowe
