Running with Purpose
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)
What’s God doing in your life?
I love this time of the week. This time where I get to look back and see all that God did. It’s amazing what He can accomplish in a week! I have watched God answer prayers, I have watched Him offer me strength in my weakness, I have watched Him restore my body, I watched Him mend relationships, I have seen growth in people around me and in my relationships with others. I could go on and on about God’s goodness. Of course, I’m still waiting on a few things but even in that I watch God give me the patience to wait. So how has God been good to you this last week? How did He come through for you? Did He do something specific in your life? Please feel free to drop me a line and let me know what God’s been doing in your life. I can’t wait to hear all about it!
This last week God has taught me what it means to leave a legacy. I started to wonder what would be my legacy on this earth. There are some definite things I want to change about myself and some things that I just want to do a little differently. I was able to talk to a friend this week who will be turning 50 soon and I was hearing about the legacy she is leaving. No, she isn’t going anywhere yet. She’s just well aware of what she wants to do while she is here. I listened to her heart and I thought man, I want to do a little more for You God. You deserve more than what I’m giving!
I want to wake up every morning ready to leave a legacy for God. I want to leave His presence everywhere I go. I want people to know who Jesus is. I don’t know when someone’s day will be there last on this earth. I want people to know Jesus in a personal way. Even more than that, I want them to know Him through His Word. I want to bring the Word to life. I want that to be my legacy. I want to shout from the rooftops who my God is. I want to fight well and finish this race in an amazing way. I want to be able to say what Paul said in this verse above.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)
Wow, this verse blows me away. What does it mean to fight a good fight for God? What does it mean to finish His race? What does a good race for God look like? And what does it mean to keep the faith? I know what these questions mean for me, as I examine the Scripture for my life. But what do these questions bring out in you. How will you fight for all that God desires to bring out in your life? How will you finish your race? Will you keep the faith? Will you pursue God with reckless abandonment? It’s a choice every day! We can get up and fight for God or sleep our days away. What will be your legacy?
Challenge: 1 Timothy 3:10 to 4:8
Apply the Word: In what areas of your life, do you need to change the way you race? Can you keep the faith given the circumstances in your life? Will you fight for God even on the tough days?
Memory Verse: 1 Timothy 4:7, If you already have this verse memorized, please memorize Philippians 4:12-14.
Dear Father God, It is such a blessing to be in Your race. I can’t believe it some days. I’m so blessed to be apart of the Family of God. Thank You for adopting me as Your daughter. Thank You for giving me a purpose, a goal to attain, a legacy to leave, and a faith to sustain me. You still amaze me!
Running with Purpose,
I love the legacy thing because many of us don’t know how to leave a Godly legacy, we always think of material things. And don’t get me wrong they are good but there has to be more. I know my mother left all her children a legacy she introduced us to Christ at an early age. And I started my daughter on that same path so she will have a legacy to start with my grandson.
Thank you Desiray! I always enjoy your comments. Sorry it took me so long to respond. I was at my brother’s graduation this last week! Honestly, your an answer to my prayers. God continues to use your comments to encourage and inspire me. Thank you for sharpening me “as iron sharpens iron.” May God continue to bless you with your ministries and guide you ever forward through His abundant grace!
We’ve seen God provide for us physically and financially, its amazing to watch how he cares for us. We’ve been studying this very thing this week, running the race that God has placed before us.
One of the pastors we are serving here said in his sermon this week, “Drive as hard as you can toward the calling God has given you.”
We’ve been chewing on 2Peter 1: 3-15, but especially vs. 10. Being sure of our calling, working diligently to complete that calling with full effort, and taking steps to make the race we are called to more effective and pointed with a definite purpose to reach the finish line.
It is scary to align your life with the calling he has given you, it means giving up things, letting God out of the box we tend to put him in and into all areas of our life. It means change.
But I also have so many stray branches that need pruning. Like Paul says in Romans 7: 14-25, my weaknesses keep rearing their ugly heads and I am humbled that God would choose us with all our failings. Then I remind myself, it is not myself but Christ I rely on. And he has chosen each one of us, even with our failings, to complete a task for his purposes, a race prepared specifically for us to run.
I don’t usually comment, but I enjoy your devotionals. Blessings!
Hi Shannan,
It was such a blessing to find this comment waiting for me. I love all the wisdom that you added to this post. Thank you so much! It’s always an encouragement to hear from you! You are a great blessing in my life!
I agree that it is tough to align ourselves with God’s calling. It’s tough to wait on Him and give up some things along the way. But man it’s great to be on the winning team! It’s awesome to know that He will always come through! Praise God that He never steps off the throne, no matter how crazy life gets. I’m so grateful that God never stops being God! I too have a lot of pruning to go, but I’m thankful God takes His time. I absolutely know what you mean about weaknesses rearing their ugly head. Yikes! It gets ugly at times! I’m so thankful God continues to love a sinner like me. His grace truly is sufficient. It continues to amaze me!
Have a great week!
In God’s Grip of Grace,
Sarah