(While Pastor Jake and his family are enjoying a trip across the country to visit family this Thanksgiving, we are republishing this article from the August 15, 2023 newsletter.)

When I was a kid, I remember reading the story of The Tortoise and the Hare. You know the one: a rabbit faces off against a turtle in a foot race. Against all odds, the turtle wins, because the rabbit took too many naps along the way. The lesson? “Slow and steady wins the race.”

Honestly, that never made sense to me. There were a lot of ways the rabbit could have won the race! Literally, one fewer nap would have done the trick, but I guess “fast but with no naps wins the race” doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Now that I’m a little older than the first time I read that story, I realize just how relevant its lesson is, mostly because I’ve seen a lot of real life examples of the dynamic exemplified by the tortoise and the hare. Many who start out well, who have all the advantages, end up spluttering out long before the finish line, while their less impressive peers go further than anyone expects.

Tragically, this happens on a spiritual plane too. I’ve met a lot of Christians like the rabbit in the story: their walk with Christ starts out in a sprint. They bound effortlessly past others in Bible knowledge or ministry giftedness. They seem to possess a unique spiritual anointing. But a few years in, their interest wanes, their commitment cools, and before long, they’ve strayed from the path of faithfulness and turned their affections toward the things of the world.

Do you know anybody like that? It’s tough to watch, especially if that person was at one time a trusted friend or mentor.

Paul had friends like that toward the end of his life, those who had boldly preached Christ and given their lives to serve King Jesus but had grown weary or distracted and returned to the things of the world.

Perhaps this is one reason why he told the believers in Philippi, “Only let us hold true to what we have attained.”

You’re tired. You’re spiritually spent. You’ve been tried and tempted to give in. You’ve “paid your dues” (ever heard that one?). You have a reputation as a good person, you’ve achieved a certain level of “success” in life or ministry. And like never before, you’re tempted to say, “I’ve been serving others all this time; it’s time to do what I want to do.”

If you’ve been following Christ for a while, you’ve had an impact on others—more than you may realize. And those folks are looking at your life and watching a more experienced believer stay on the path, and they’re encouraged to keep going. But when they see you stray, when they see you lay aside your spiritual priorities, they falter.

You had said, “It is better to give than to receive,” and they believed you. But after years of giving you decided you don’t want to do so anymore and they learn a powerful lesson: “Maybe I’m wasting my life and my resources.”

You had said, “Eternity matters more than the things of this life,” and they believed you. But after years of keeping your eye on a heavenly prize you began to focus on the pleasures of the present, and they watched, concluding, “maybe I should get all I can while I can since this life is all there is.”

Instead, “Let us hold true to what we have attained.” Don’t coast back down the hill you’ve fought so hard to climb. Don’t make choices that make your commitment to Christ seem like a cheap lie. Hold fast! Stay true!

Don’t be like Solomon, who “ceased to hear instruction” at the end of his life, and finally “strayed from the path of learning,” to the ruin of his house (Provers 19:27).

Don’t be like Demas, who saw many saved and baptized and watched the Spirit start churches throughout the world, but ended his life a deserter who traded the treasures of heaven for the decaying trinkets of earth (2 Timothy 4:10).

Don’t be like the rabbit, lively and zealous one moment, then lazily sleeping when the time comes to cross the finish line.

Your life is telling everybody something about the character of Christ and the truth of the Gospel. The longer you persevere, the closer you get to the finish line, the greater your kingdom impact.

Don’t throw it all away because you’re tired or discouraged. Don’t forsake your church or cast aside your ministry. Don’t allow bitterness to steal your joy in Christ or a desire for pleasure to zap you of spiritual strength!

“Hold fast to what you have attained.” Keep running, lay aside the weight of sin and selfishness and rest in the faithfulness of Jesus, who ran the race before you. Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ.