{"id":2367,"date":"2025-11-19T21:46:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T21:46:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/?p=2367"},"modified":"2025-11-19T21:46:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T21:46:17","slug":"finishing-faith-sermon-reflection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/2025\/11\/19\/finishing-faith-sermon-reflection\/","title":{"rendered":"Finishing Faith: Staying Focused When Life Feels Impossible"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>This article has been adapted from a full sermon titled &#8220;Finishing Faith&#8221; based on Hebrews 12:1\u20133.<\/em><br><br>What if the hardest moments of your life aren\u2019t setbacks\u2026but the very places God is strengthening your faith? Hebrews 12 pulls back the curtain and shows why the Christian race feels so intense\u2014and how believers can actually endure it with unshakable perseverance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-b818cc89\"><h3 class=\"uagb-heading-text\"><strong>Look Around \u2014 Who\u2019s Watching Your Race?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTherefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses\u2026\u201d<br><br>Hebrews invites us to look at the people who have run the race before us. Ordinary people who trusted God through extraordinary circumstances. Imperfect people who still finished well.<br><br>I was reminded of this during the Whataburger 10K I ran recently with two of my daughters. I didn\u2019t sign up because I love running\u2014I signed up because they promised free Whataburger at the finish line. But around mile four, my legs were burning, and I wondered why I signed up at all. Then suddenly I reached the part of the course lined with cheering people. They were ringing bells, holding signs, yelling my race number. And I felt something rise up in me. It gave me a pep in my step I didn\u2019t know I had left.<br><br>That\u2019s the picture Hebrews 12 paints. We are running with an entire crowd of witnesses cheering us on\u2014people who have already finished their own hard races. I often think about the people who shaped my journey. Their voices still encourage me today. And we all have people like that in our story\u2014reminders that finishing well is possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-359e5be3\"><h3 class=\"uagb-heading-text\"><strong>Look Within \u2014 What\u2019s Slowing You Down?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2026let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely\u2026\u201d<br><br>Trying to run while holding onto sin or unnecessary distractions is like strapping on a weighted backpack and wondering why you\u2019re slow. Some weights aren\u2019t sinful\u2014they\u2019re just heavy. But sin does more than slow you down. It tangles you up.<br><br>I think about the three-legged race I ran during field day at school. You tie your leg to someone else\u2019s, put your arm around their shoulder, and try to run. Someone technically wins\u2026but nobody runs fast. Nobody runs far. You can\u2019t. That\u2019s exactly what sin does. Instead of crucifying it, we often coddle it\u2014and then wonder why we can\u2019t move forward.<br><br>God invites us to throw it off. Not just so we can run\u2014but so we can finish well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-1324eb6c\"><h3 class=\"uagb-heading-text\"><strong>Look Ahead \u2014 Is the Finish Line Worth It?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2026and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us\u2026\u201d<br><br>Every believer\u2019s race is unique\u2014but every believer is called to endure. Some stretches feel endless. Some hills feel too steep. Sometimes you\u2019re just trying to put one foot in front of the other.<br><br>But I keep reminding myself of the finish line: hearing \u201cWell done, good and faithful servant.\u201d Seeing Jesus face to face. Being reunited with people I love who finished their race before me. Every small step of obedience moves us closer to that moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-2a2e4f1c\"><h3 class=\"uagb-heading-text\"><strong>Look to Jesus \u2014 Who\u2019s Leading You?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2026looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith\u2026\u201d<br><br>Jesus ran the hardest race\u2014and He finished it. He endured the cross, despised its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God. He isn\u2019t just the starting point of our\u00a0faith; He is the strength that carries us through our weakest moments.<br><br>I\u2019ll never forget hearing Hebrews 12 preached when I was about 17. The lights in the room went completely dark, and a single spotlight hit the preacher as he read the passage. Then he asked us to imagine the heroes of Hebrews 11\u2014Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses\u2014each stepping forward and saying, \u201cIt\u2019s worth it.\u201d That moment marked me deeply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-3ab13e78\"><h3 class=\"uagb-heading-text\">Finishing Well<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Hebrews 12:1\u20133 is a game plan to:<br><br><strong>Look around<\/strong> \u2014 encouragement is everywhere.<br><strong>Look within<\/strong> \u2014 throw off every weight and sin.<br><strong>Look ahead<\/strong> \u2014 your race has purpose.<br><strong>Look to Jesus<\/strong> \u2014 the perfect example and source of strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This race isn\u2019t about speed. It\u2019s about steadfastness. And with your eyes fixed on Jesus, you can endure. You can finish well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>You can catch up on more sermons on our <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/media\/all\/sunday-sermons\/\"><em>Sermon Archive<\/em><\/a><em> or visit our <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/\"><em>Articles page<\/em><\/a><em> for more reflections like this one.<\/em><br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article has been adapted from a full sermon titled &#8220;Finishing Faith&#8221; based on Hebrews 12:1\u20133. What if the hardest moments of your life aren\u2019t setbacks\u2026but the very places God is strengthening your faith? Hebrews 12 pulls back the curtain and shows why the Christian race feels so intense\u2014and how believers can actually endure it [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2368,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,24],"tags":[42,43],"class_list":["post-2367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-church-life","category-theology","tag-hebrews-12","tag-running-the-race","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Finishing Faith: Staying Focused When Life Feels Impossible - Articles<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Finishing Faith means running your race with endurance. 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A native of Louisiana, Jarrett graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., with a bachelor of arts in biblical studies and psychology. He received his master of divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2006 and his doctorate of ministry from Liberty Theological Seminary in January 2012. Jarrett is the author of The Always God: He Hasn\u2019t Changed and You Are Not Forgotten and The Mountains Are Calling: Making the Climb for a Clearer View of God and Ourselves.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jarrettstephens\/?hl=en","https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/twitter.com\/jarrettstephens"],"url":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/author\/jarrett-stephens\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444.jpg","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444.jpg",2560,1440,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-1024x576.jpg",1024,576,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-1536x864.jpg",1536,864,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-2048x1152.jpg",2048,1152,true],"et-builder-post-main-image":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-400x250.jpg",400,250,true],"et-builder-post-main-image-fullwidth":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-1080x675.jpg",1080,675,true],"et-builder-portfolio-image":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-400x284.jpg",400,284,true],"et-builder-portfolio-image-single":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-1080x608.jpg",1080,608,true],"et-builder-gallery-image-portrait":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-400x516.jpg",400,516,true],"extra-image-huge":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-1280x768.jpg",1280,768,true],"extra-image-single-post":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-1280x640.jpg",1280,640,true],"extra-image-medium":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-627x376.jpg",627,376,true],"extra-image-small":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-440x264.jpg",440,264,true],"extra-image-square-medium":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-440x440.jpg",440,440,true],"extra-image-square-small":["https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sport-treadmill-tor-route-163444-163444-150x150.jpg",150,150,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Jarrett Stephens","author_link":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/author\/jarrett-stephens\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"This article has been adapted from a full sermon titled &#8220;Finishing Faith&#8221; based on Hebrews 12:1\u20133. What if the hardest moments of your life aren\u2019t setbacks\u2026but the very places God is strengthening your faith? Hebrews 12 pulls back the curtain and shows why the Christian race feels so intense\u2014and how believers can actually endure it&hellip;","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2367"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2371,"href":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367\/revisions\/2371"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.championforest.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}