The starter's gun went off. All we could see for miles was a sea of bobbing heads. Somewhere in the crowd my father, along with 10,000 other runners, was making the long trek to the finish line of the Boston Marathon, some 26 miles and 385 yards ahead. It was to be an annual ritual he would continue for the next 21 years. My mom, sisters and I hurried to the finish - we were determined to be there to greet him when he crossed the line. Some two-and-a-half hours later, we saw Dad. He had made it - he had, despite the many obstacles, finished the race. We all glowed with pride.

Growing up in a home with a long-distance runner always proved to be an adventure. I greatly admired my father's discipline and ability to overcome obstacles of all types to reach his goals. He modeled to our family the importance of persevering through something no matter how difficult it was. We were always encouraged to finish everything we started whether it be a task at home or college.

After I became a Christian, I began to see many characteristics of the distance runner that would easily transfer to running the race of faith. And as I read Scripture, I noticed that Paul often likened the Christian life to a race. Here is what I've learned are the necessary elements that will help us accomplish a strong finish in the race of faith.

1.  Proper Training and Equipment

Observing runners over the years, I quickly discovered that those who finish and do the best throughout the race are those who are best prepared. Proper training and equipment are keys to finishing the race of faith as well. For example, one of the most important necessities for a runner is their shoes. A distance runner knows that if he's going to make it to the finish line, he's going to need the right equipment. The same is true for the Christian. The Word of God is our most important piece of equipment. God's Word instructs us on how we are to run the race. When I'm out of God's Word, I am more susceptible to getting off course. Suddenly, I find myself getting side-tracked and doing things that I shouldn't be doing. Psalm 119:11 says, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin agains you..." The Word of God keeps us on course and must be our daily bread for without it we won't be able to persevere ahead in our particular races of faith. It will be the day-to-day disciplines of Bible reading and prayer that will carry us through to the finish line.

2.  Pace Yourself

We've probably all, at one time or another, witnessed a runner blasting out of the starting line to only collapse in the middle of the race. To finish strong, we must pace ourselves, keeping our eyes on the little parts of the race. By this I mean we must concentrate on today, the here and now, the day-to-day and mile-by-mile of the Christian life. If we focus too much on the future or keep looking back we can become ineffective and paralyzed for what God intends in our lives today. As someone once said, "It's not how you start the race that counts, but how you finish."

3.  Persevere Through Obstacles 

Everyone who is familiar with the Boston Marathon knows about Heartbreak Hill. Heartbreak Hill crests at about the 21-mile mark when the runner's body is already taxed to it's limit. This incredibly grueling hill lasts about a mile and is often the breaking point for many runners. Here, with the finish line only a few miles ahead runners begin to quit and drop out of the race. 

Often it is the heartbreak hill's of the Christian life that tempt us to drop out of the race - an unexpected job loss, a broken marriage, financial difficulties, infertility, disappointment, death. The enemy takes these difficult circumstances and tries to destroy us by them. If we're not prepared and haven't trained well, these types of things can push us to quit, to drop out before God has accomplished in our lives what He desires.  

"Hitting the Wall" is another obstacle for the runner. It's a point when the body has used up all the glycogen in the muscles. Glycogen is the source of your body's energy. Once you deplete this, the muscles begin to cramp up making it very difficult to finish. In the Christian life we can come up against the "wall" of the enemy. At moments like these he is most likely to sneak up on us whispering in our ears, "You can't do it anymore." "It's too hard." "Quit, you have to overcome too much." "Why don't you stop, it's too much for you." Amazingly, the majority of the runners persevere through the obstacles and continue on to the finish line. Some are literally crawling or limping and each has his own story to tell of how he made it. All runners, regardless of the condition they finish in, got there with some degree of pain and agony, some obstacle that they had to overcome. Yet, the important thing is that they finished.

Many will tell you it was pure determination that helped them do it. As Christians, however, we have more than just our own resources to rely on. God has given us the Holy Spirit - our Helper. He will provide the strength to persevere through the obstacles we face so that we, too, can finish the race. We may be limping, we may be wounded, but we can finish!

4.  Friends Along the Course

If you ever watch a marathon, you'll notice that runners very wisely have friends along the course who throw them towels or hand them cups of water along the way. These companions are essential to the runner's success. Many wouldn't hesitate to say that without this encouragement, especially at those crucial moments, that they would not have made it. Similarly, if we're going to be victorious Christians and finish strong, we cannot go it alone. God not only created us with a great need for Himself. but also with a great need for others. That's what the body of Christ is all about.  We are to bear one another's burdens. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12:26 that, "If one part of the body suffers, every part suffers with it." We all hurt and we are all needed to help each other. 

It is important to note that God can bring us strength, healing and help through the people He places along the course of our lives. Everyone of us will face obstacles along the way, that's why we all need compassionate, caring friends to come beside us to encourage and comfort during these times. We need to be these kinds of friends for others as well.

5.  Determination to Finish

In 1968, the country of Tanzania selected John Stephen Akhwari to represent it in the Mexico City Olympics. Along the marathon course, Akhwari stumbled and fell, severely injuring both his knee and ankle. Hours later, an Ethiopian runner had won the race, and all the other competitors had finished. Only a few thousand spectators remained in the stadium when a police siren at the gate caught their attention. Limping through the gate came number 36 - John Stephen Akhwari - his leg wrapped in a bloody bandage. Those present cheered as this courageous man completed the final lap of the race. 

A reporter later asked him the question on everyone's mind: "Why did you continue the race after you were so badly injured?" 

He replied, "My country did not send me 7,000 miles to begin a race; they sent me to finish the race."

We are called to finish the race. Our encouragement comes from remembering that Jesus, the most courageous faith runner of all, did not come into the world simply to begin a race, but to finish the race His Father set out for Him. He, too, finished but it wasn't without obstacles and pain - it wasn't without the cost of nail pierced hands and feet. Jesus went the distance.

"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1).