‘Blessed is the one who endures under trial ……. because that person will receive a crown of life James 1:12
It’s said that living life is like running a marathon, finishing is the important thing. Runners experience different periods of exhaustion during their race, but somehow they manage to find the strength to continue and finish.
Now I’ve never run a marathon, but I have lived a life. Some parts have been easy and smooth, other parts have been difficult. But during our lives we have all received encouragement to continue and we are now in the period of continuing and one day finishing.
As Christians we have special encouragements. We have the words from our God-inspired Bible. These words can help us on every occasion and seem to come at just the right time, the work of the Holy Spirit, no doubt. Then there is prayer and the chance to have dialogue with God. Like training for a marathon, the more we practise, the easier it becomes. In marathons we do not run alone, we do not walk the Christian life alone. We need fellowship with other Christians to encourage us along the way.
May we be able to say as Paul said, ‘I have finished the race, I have fought the good fight. now there is in store for me a crown of righteous.’ 2 Timothy 4:7-8.