Finish Line Faith, 1: What to do when you feel like giving in
By Matt Proctor*
I teach at a Bible college, and one day a young man came into my office, sat down, and began a conversation with these words: “I had no idea. For some reason, I really thought when I became a Christian, my troubles would go away. I didn’t know being a Christian would be so hard.”
My guess is you already know the Christian life is hard. You know because you’ve read your Bible. In John 16:33, Jesus says, “In this world you will have trouble.” In Acts 14:22, Paul says, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”
But it’s not just Scripture’s clear warnings that alert you to this reality. Your own experience has likely taught you the Christian life is hard. Anyone who has followed Jesus for more than five minutes has experienced moments of defeat, fatigue, rejection, pain—have you ever been tempted to just stop?
The Bible book we call 2 Timothy is the last known letter from the apostle Paul’s hand. In this letter to the young preacher Timothy, Paul issues essentially one charge: Don’t quit! Be faithful. Persevere. Endure. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Keep running. Finish Strong, Timothy! Stay on track.
Paul is forging in Timothy what I call “finish-line faith.”
In the course of the four chapters of 2 Timothy, Paul gives instructions on how to go on when you feel like giving in—things like remembering your heritage, meditating on the gospel, nourishing yourself on Scripture, and cultivating real community. You’ll find his words to be straightforward, practical, and Spirit-inspired. They are exactly the divine encouragement a discouraged disciple needs.
Here's a simple but essential truth for us as we begin this series: God gives us the strength to finish the race. Each week we’ll suggest a way to go on when you feel like giving in, but these suggestions are simply means of accessing the Father’s resources. It is God—and God alone—who will bring us safely home. The prophet Isaiah put it this way, “Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired (Isaiah 40:31, NASB).
With God’s help, you can keep running, too.
Especially for caregivers:
Which of these have you faced most often—defeat, fatigue, rejection or pain?
How have you found relief from them as you learned to trust God for the solution?
Which of them do you most need to lay before him this week? —M.T.
Read: 2 Timothy: 1:1, 2
Pray: Give me the strength, Lord, just for this week, to keep running. Help me to find the resources I need in you—in your prevailing presence, and in the truth of your Word.
* This devotion is adapted from a new book by Matt Proctor, president of Ozark Christian College (Joplin, Missouri) (c) 2024. Finish Line Faith is a 12-week study of 2 Timothy perfect for any group or Bible study, and this devotion gives only a taste of the down-to-earth encouragement it provides. Click here for information on ordering copies for yourself or your group.