Forward... Not Finished.
In the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Dutch sailing team was leading in the gold medal race when they made a shocking mistake. Thinking they had crossed the finish line, they stopped sailing and began to celebrate. However, they had misjudged the course—the true finish line was still ahead. As they stalled, other teams surged past them, and they lost their chance at victory. Their failure was not due to a lack of skill or preparation but because they stopped too soon.
How many of us have done the same in our spiritual lives? We assume we’ve arrived when God still has more in store. We stop short of the real finish line, thinking we’ve completed our race when there’s still a journey ahead.
Life is a series of transitions, and how we finish one season determines how we enter the next. Ecclesiastes 7:8 reminds us, “The end of a thing is better than its beginning.” Finishing well ensures that we step into the next chapter without carrying unresolved baggage, unhealed wounds, or unfinished assignments.
The Bible is full of examples of people who finished well despite challenges:
Yet, not everyone finished well. Moses, a great leader, never entered the Promised Land because he let frustration and past wounds cloud his faith (Numbers 20:10-12). His ending story serves as a cautionary lesson.
1. Focus Forward
Moses’ failure to move beyond past frustrations led him to disobey God in a critical moment. In Numbers 20, instead of speaking to the rock as God commanded, he struck it in anger, repeating an old pattern. This moment cost him his entry into the Promised Land.
Paul understood the importance of focus:
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
Dwelling on past mistakes or past successes can keep us stuck. God even hid Moses’ grave (Deuteronomy 34:5-7) so the Israelites wouldn’t dwell on the past but move forward. We, too, must let go and fix our eyes on what’s ahead.
Visiting a graveyard doesn’t bring the dead back to life. Likewise, obsessing over past regrets or nostalgia won’t move us forward. So focus forward.
2. Step Forward in Faith
When Moses pleaded with God to enter the Promised Land, God said no. Instead, He told Moses to prepare Joshua to lead the next generation (Deuteronomy 3:23-28). This teaches us that finishing well often means setting others up for success and stepping forward in faith.
Transitions can feel overwhelming, but God always calls us forward. Joshua had never led Israel before, yet he trusted God’s direction. The wilderness was familiar, but the Promised Land was unknown. Stepping forward requires faith.
Faith is required when things change, when seasons end, and when the next step is unclear.
Keep Moving Forward
Like the Dutch sailing team, we don’t want to stop short of the real finish line. The enemy wants us to believe our best days are behind us, but God says, “I’m not done with you yet.”
If you’re facing an ending today, don’t mistake it for the finish line. Whether it’s a career shift, a relationship change, or a new season in life, God is still writing your story. Keep running. Keep trusting. Keep moving forward.
“…Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
You are not finished, if you keep moving forward!
How many of us have done the same in our spiritual lives? We assume we’ve arrived when God still has more in store. We stop short of the real finish line, thinking we’ve completed our race when there’s still a journey ahead.
Life is a series of transitions, and how we finish one season determines how we enter the next. Ecclesiastes 7:8 reminds us, “The end of a thing is better than its beginning.” Finishing well ensures that we step into the next chapter without carrying unresolved baggage, unhealed wounds, or unfinished assignments.
The Bible is full of examples of people who finished well despite challenges:
- David started as a forgotten shepherd but became a king.
- Joseph went from prison to palace because he endured.
- Peter denied Jesus three times, but he rose to lead the early church.
- Jesus endured the cross before the resurrection.
Yet, not everyone finished well. Moses, a great leader, never entered the Promised Land because he let frustration and past wounds cloud his faith (Numbers 20:10-12). His ending story serves as a cautionary lesson.
1. Focus Forward
Moses’ failure to move beyond past frustrations led him to disobey God in a critical moment. In Numbers 20, instead of speaking to the rock as God commanded, he struck it in anger, repeating an old pattern. This moment cost him his entry into the Promised Land.
Paul understood the importance of focus:
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
Dwelling on past mistakes or past successes can keep us stuck. God even hid Moses’ grave (Deuteronomy 34:5-7) so the Israelites wouldn’t dwell on the past but move forward. We, too, must let go and fix our eyes on what’s ahead.
Visiting a graveyard doesn’t bring the dead back to life. Likewise, obsessing over past regrets or nostalgia won’t move us forward. So focus forward.
2. Step Forward in Faith
When Moses pleaded with God to enter the Promised Land, God said no. Instead, He told Moses to prepare Joshua to lead the next generation (Deuteronomy 3:23-28). This teaches us that finishing well often means setting others up for success and stepping forward in faith.
Transitions can feel overwhelming, but God always calls us forward. Joshua had never led Israel before, yet he trusted God’s direction. The wilderness was familiar, but the Promised Land was unknown. Stepping forward requires faith.
Faith is required when things change, when seasons end, and when the next step is unclear.
Keep Moving Forward
Like the Dutch sailing team, we don’t want to stop short of the real finish line. The enemy wants us to believe our best days are behind us, but God says, “I’m not done with you yet.”
If you’re facing an ending today, don’t mistake it for the finish line. Whether it’s a career shift, a relationship change, or a new season in life, God is still writing your story. Keep running. Keep trusting. Keep moving forward.
“…Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
You are not finished, if you keep moving forward!
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