The Grueling Home Stretch

By Joni and Friends|Published On: April 28, 2021|Categories: 1-Minute Radio Program, Daily Devotional, Hope & Inspiration|

A man standing on a rock with his arms raised in the air looking at a sunset sky.

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
Hebrews 12:1b

My young friend Clay is a top runner on his high school team. When I asked him about the hardest part of a cross-country run, he said without blinking, “It’s the long middle distance.” Clay explained that all runners enjoy the start of the race when the gun goes off, and they thrive on cheers from the grandstands at the finish. But it’s the long, grueling middle distance that’s the most demanding. He said, “You really need to stay focused.”

He’s right. It’s true for you in this marathon called the Christian life. But remember, Romans 15 calls our Lord, “The God of endurance and encouragement.” So if you are weary in this long, middle distance, it is God who is ready to grant you the grace of endurance. He will sustain you through the grueling home stretch, giving endurance with every step. Take heart! The finish line is just over your horizon!