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

I Have Fought The Good Fight

The above passage was written at the end of the Apostle Paul’s life to his protégé, Timothy. It was his farewell, his swan song, and his last bit of encouragement to a young Christian leader. How can this sentence, written shortly before Paul’s martyrdom, help us fight the good fight today? The answer lies in everything that Paul went through to take the faith to the ends of the known world. We have all encountered things in our faith journey that may cause us to throw in the towel.

Trials and Tribulations

Paul went through many trials and tribulations that would break any man. In his mission to share the Gospel and fight the good fight, Paul was shipwrecked, imprisoned, beaten several times, and ultimately martyred. Through all the beatings, the trials, and the adversity he persevered in the faith. He had a mission that he had to complete. We read in the book of Philippians that the trials that Paul endured, and his reaction towards them, served to strengthen the body of Christ.

What hardships are you going through? Perhaps it is something physical, spiritual, or both? In our human weakness it is tempting to give up and find the path of least resistance. Where would Christianity be if Paul took that path? If he gave up fighting the good fight? That is a painful thought because Paul was perhaps the greatest evangelist that ever lived, and he wrote thirteen books of the New Testament.

But I’m Not Paul

Someone reading this may be saying, “But I’m not Paul. This is too hard for me to bare.”. The thing about all of this is that none of us are able to do this on our own. It does not matter how popular you are, how much money you have, or how many cars you own. Life will happen and there will be times when we get worn down by the stresses of life. That is why we need a Savior. Through the grace of Christ, we know that we are not alone, and that He guides us through the treacherous times in life. He died for your sins and mine, and our life lives are worth living. Jesus is with us always, and this is something we must remember. Remembering this simple fact can help us fight the good fight in the face of the hardest situations. It may seem easier to give up, but that is the wide road that leads to destruction. The narrow road is the one that Christ calls us to, and it ultimately leads to paradise.

Can you say I have fought the good fight?