“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As I write this I am sitting in my hotel room in Orlando, Florida where my husband and I have been attending a conference for ministers from our fellowship, the Assemblies of God. Every two years ministers gather to be encouraged and equipped and to vote on leadership and resolutions relative to how our fellowship operates in the world. There are thousands of ministers attending and even more students participating in the National Fine Arts festival that is taking place at the same time. A highlight of the event is to join with others in worship in a 9000 seat auditorium filled with families who serve Jesus with all their hearts. Those are moments that refresh and renew our commitment to run our race well. 

When the apostle Paul wrote to his friends in Philippi he encouraged them to tenaciously tend to their faith so that on the day of Christ’s return he would know that his race was not in vain. What race was Paul running? The race of faith and the work of passing on that faith to others. The ministers present here are all called to the same race. And so are you, my friend! Our goal is to be faithful and to help others be faithful until the very end. So, how do you and I do that? It isn’t complicated, but it is challenging. Here’s the challenge. 

Run YOUR race. You have heard it before, but it bears repeating: You are unique. God hasn’t called you to be anyone else but the best you! This week I am among thousands of ministers and missionaries from across the US and around the world. When I hear the stories of what other people are doing and how God is using them, it can be easy to compare myself to them and to think of my own efforts as small and ineffective. I start to ask myself, “Should I be doing more of THAT? Maybe I should be different, more like THEM?” Ever feel that way? I think every one of us has at one time or another. 

Here’s the thing we all need to remember: Comparison kills creativity and purpose. When you and I compare ourselves to others we lose touch with who God created us to be and stop thinking about the best ways to use the gifts that God has given us. We lose track of the unique calling that we each have. We lose track of our purpose. 

This is not just for the “professionals.” Every person is called to be faithful and to share their faith. Are you prepared to share? Every person is called. Did I say that already? Just be the best YOU! When you do that, you will find yourself connected to God in a way that unleashes His Spirit within you and allows His creativity to flow through you. Just run YOUR race. 

Share what you know.  Here’s the thing that you need to realize about your journey. God has designed it for YOU. There are things that you have learned along the way that have helped you in your relationship with God. There are lessons that you have learned that you can share with others. You don’t need a Bible degree to share Scriptures that God has used to encourage you. You don’t need ministry credentials to tell people what Jesus has done in your life. Your message is just as valuable as the person with the microphone speaking to thousands. God has worked in you just as powerfully as He has in the person on the platform. Part of running YOUR race is sharing YOUR story. There are people who will hear about Jesus from you that won’t listen to your pastor or a TV preacher or someone with a national ministry. God has given YOU a circle of influence. Share what you know with the people you interact with. Your story matters. Go ahead and tell it!

Faithfulness always wins.  Always. The person who perseveres to the end receives the crown of life. (James….; Revelation…) The person who does not quit crosses the finish line every time. When you get to the end of YOUR race God is not going to ask you how your best friend lived their life, or how your small group leader followed Him, or the impact that a TV preacher had on how many people. God is going to talk to you about your choices, how did you live your life? What choices did you make in your most difficult moments? How did you remain faithful to your faith? 

There have been times in my life when all I could do was get up in the morning and say, “God I don’t get it, but I know that You are good. So, I will keep going. I need You to help me get through this day.” At the end of the day, my prayer might go like this, “God, I don’t get it, but I know that You are good. Thank You for helping me get through today.” and then…in the morning…we do it all again. 

This week I heard the wife of an evangelist speak about her struggle with Multiple Sclerosis. Through their ministry, she and her husband have seen people miraculously healed of MS and yet she has not been healed. In her prayers about it, God spoke to her about the Hebrews wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. For the children of Israel in that time, the miracle was manna. Every day God provided just what they needed to get through the day and keep going. That testimony resonated with me. There have been so many times when the miracle God gave me wasn’t the end of my “wandering,” but “manna” to get through the day. 

How about you? That might be the season that you are in right now. It’s hard, confusing, painful. Whatever else God does for you, I know that He will always give you what you need to get through, even if it is just enough. Keep going. Faithfulness ALWAYS wins. 

Dear Friend, you have a race to run. Your race of faith is just as important as mine. When the day of Christ comes, you and I want to know that our race has not been in vain. So, let me encourage you to run YOUR race, share what you know and just keep going because faithfulness always wins. Faithfulness is success. Faithfulness pleases your Father’s heart. That’s work worth the effort and a prize worth running for. 

Key Thought: Every person is called to be faithful and to share their faith.

A Scripture to Consider: “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A YES Challenge: Take a few moments to consider how God has given you manna in the midst of your difficulty. Offer up a prayer of thanks to Him. Consider writing it in your journal as a memorial. 

Prayer: Father, help me to run the race you have set before me. Help me to share all that you have taught me. Help me be faithful to the very end. I know that my work for You will never be useless. Help me to remember that faithfulness is success. Amen.