Life has a way of starting strong and fading somewhere in the middle. Think about marathon runners—at the starting line, everyone is pumped, energized, ready to conquer the miles ahead. Even the person in the very back, already wondering what they’ve gotten themselves into, isn’t quitting. Not yet. The gun fires, and off they go.
But around mile 13—halfway through the 26.2-mile journey—something changes. The cameras stop rolling. The crowds thin out. The initial adrenaline has long since evaporated. This is where most people quit. Not because they’re angry or because there’s no audience, but simply because they’re tired.
Our spiritual journey mirrors this pattern more than we’d like to admit.
The Middle Miles
Nobody quits following Jesus at the beginning. When someone first encounters Christ, they’re on fire—ready to charge hell with water pistols, as the saying goes. Everything feels fresh, exciting, purposeful. Prayer comes easily. Church attendance is a joy, not an obligation.
But give it time. Life gets hard. Prayers seem unanswered. The battles keep coming. The excitement fades. And somewhere in the middle of the journey, people get tired. They don’t announce they’re quitting. They don’t make a dramatic exit. They just slowly fade away.
Week one of missing church, people notice. Week two, they give you a pass—you’re probably tired. Week three passes. By week four, that person has become a memory, and the cycle continues. It’s not that they wanted to quit. They just got tired of getting up, tired of unanswered prayers, tired of constant battles, tired of filling in whatever blank applies to their situation.
The true test of endurance isn’t what you do when the crowds are cheering. It’s what you do when all the crowds are gone and faith is no longer fun.
A Cloud of Witnesses
Hebrews chapter 12 opens with a powerful reminder: we have “such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us.” This comes right after chapter 11’s hall of faith—a lineup of biblical heroes who accomplished great things for God.
But here’s what we often miss: at the beginning of their stories, none of these people looked qualified for what God called them to do.
Abraham was a drunk and a liar who worshiped God in a pagan area and disobeyed right out of the gate. Yet he became the friend of God and the father of many nations.
David murdered his best friend to steal his wife. Does that sound like a man after God’s own heart? Yet he was.
Rahab was a Gentile prostitute. And she ended up in the direct lineage of Jesus Christ.
The point? If you think your past disqualifies you, you’re wrong. God specializes in using unlikely people to accomplish impossible things.
Laying Aside What Holds Us Back
The writer of Hebrews urges us to “lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us.” Notice the language—it’s not that sin traps us against our will. The problem is that we won’t let it go.
We hold onto it. We hide it. We do it in the dark, in the convenience of our homes, acting like no one knows. But Scripture is clear: everything done in darkness will be brought to light.
It’s like an anchor on a boat. Try moving forward when you’re tied to a rock. Even if you manage some progress, you’re dragging that weight with you, exhausting yourself in the process.
The sin isn’t the real issue—it’s our unwillingness to release it. We’ve found some twisted form of security in it, some counterfeit peace in the middle of chaos. Whether it’s addiction, unhealthy relationships, unforgiveness, or any other habitual sin, we know it’s not good for us. We know it hasn’t produced anything positive. But we cling to it anyway.
There’s a powerful story about a man who lived with his girlfriend and their seven children for years, refusing to marry her despite everyone’s urging. One day, someone simply asked him: “What would you do if your daughter was with a guy who had seven children with her but wouldn’t marry her?”
He looked down. Within two weeks, they were married.
He already knew what he was doing was wrong. He just needed the right perspective to be willing to let it go.
Keeping Our Eyes on Jesus
“Keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith.”
Where your eyes are, your life will go. If you focus on money, eventually your life will have nothing else in view except making more of it. If you focus on relationships, achievements, or your children above all else, you’ll bend and break every principle you once held to pursue that focus.
But if your focus is Jesus, nothing will hold you back.
Think about when you tend to get sick or face obstacles. Often it’s Sunday morning when you don’t feel well, or Monday when you planned to spend time with God, or Thursday before church. Someone calls with tickets to the game or an invitation to go fishing right when you’re walking out the door to serve.
The enemy knows exactly when to strike—when you’re trying to focus on what matters most.
People who finish marathons aren’t necessarily the fastest or the strongest. They’re the ones who stay focused on the finish line. Nothing prevents them from getting there. Not the hills, not the competition, not the pain. They’re locked in on the goal.
For the Joy Set Before Him
Here’s the stunning truth: Jesus endured the cross “for the joy that lay before him.” What joy? The joy of spending eternity with us.
Think about that. He created us. He died to save us. He gives us the strength to endure. He’s done it all. And He did it for the joy of being with us forever.
He hung naked on a cross in the busiest street, despising the shame, because He knew the end result would be worth it. He signed a contract in His own blood, and He finishes what He starts.
One Day at a Time
You can’t change yesterday. Tomorrow will have enough challenges of its own. So focus on today. What does Jesus have for you today?
Don’t worry about running the whole marathon right now. Just take the next step. And then the next one. Progress isn’t measured in miles—it’s measured in moments, in choices, in the decision to keep going when everything in you wants to quit.
This is your race. Not someone else’s. What does your walk with Jesus look like today? What is He calling you to do? Whatever it is, the enemy is already preparing obstacles. But remember: the One who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.
So when you hit mile 13—when you’re tired, when the crowds are gone, when faith is no longer fun—keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. He’s both the author and the finisher. He’s already at the finish line, and He’s cheering you on.
Just take the next step.
Thoughts from Pastor Toney 