Finishing Your Assignment

Heavenly Father, You are the Author and Finisher of our faith. Today, we ask that You grant us strength, courage, and perseverance to finish the assignments You’ve given us. Let us not faint in times of trial but press on with endurance, bringing glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

• 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV): “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

• John 17:4 (NIV): “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.”

• Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NLT): “Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.”

The Relay Race That Taught Me Endurance

As a young collegiate sprinter at Florida State University, I was blessed with the opportunity to run the first leg of the mile relay at the prestigious Millrose Games in Madison Square Garden, New York City.

It was a qualifying heat—two laps around the indoor track. The first lap required staying in lanes, and the second lap allowed a break for the first lane. I shot out, determined to give my team the lead. Coming off the curve with just a half lap to go, I felt my right hamstring pull sharply. Pain shot through me, and everything in me wanted to stop.

But I could not quit. With grit and determination, I limped through that final stretch, baton firmly in hand, desperate to pass it to my waiting teammate. Somehow, I managed to hand it off. Then something amazing happened: my three extraordinary teammates ran their hearts out. Together, we not only finished first in that heat but also qualified for the finals—where we went on to win.

That day I learned that finishing your assignment may not always look pretty, may not always feel strong, but it matters. My part, though imperfect, still positioned my team for victory.

God has given each of us an assignment. Some days, we may feel strong and able to run with full speed. Other days, like me limping on that track, we may only have the strength to just make it through. But the point is: don’t quit. Finish.

1. Faithfulness over Perfection – God values obedience, not flawless performance.

2. Your Finish Impacts Others – Just like my teammates depended on me to hand them the baton, people around you depend on your obedience to fulfill God’s plan.

3. Endurance Produces Victory – Sometimes victory doesn’t come from your strength but from the collective faithfulness of God’s people working together.

Application

• Identify the “assignment” God has placed in your hands right now.

• Pray for endurance when you feel weary, remembering that your obedience impacts others.

• Encourage someone who may feel like giving up—remind them their “baton pass” matters.

• Commit to finish what God has started in you, whether in family, ministry, or personal growth.

Gospel Songs Befitting the Theme

• “Finish Strong” – Jonathan Nelson

• “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired” – James Cleveland

• “I Will Trust in the Lord” – Traditional Hymn

Lord, thank You for the reminder that finishing matters more than starting strong. Even when life leaves us limping, help us to press on, to pass the baton, and to complete the race You’ve set before us. Strengthen our hearts so that at the end, like Paul, we can declare, “I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” May our lives testify to Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.