Keep Going
Keep Going: Encouragement for the Race Ahead
For many years, our family had a January tradition. We’d head down to Colorado Springs and spend one night at a beautiful place called The Broadmoor.
If you’ve never been there, The Broadmoor is a stunning historic resort with indoor and outdoor pools, incredible restaurants, and gorgeous mountain views.
But my favorite part isn’t the pools or the gardens—lovely as they are. My favorite part is a hallway.
Surrounded by Greatness
It’s a long corridor with hundreds of framed photographs of presidents, musicians, athletes, and world leaders who have visited The Broadmoor—people who have left their mark on the world in remarkable ways. Standing there, you can feel as though you’re surrounded by greatness.
In Hebrews 12, we’re reminded that we are surrounded too—not by celebrities, but by “a great cloud of witnesses.” These are people of faith who have run their race, finished well, and now cheer us on. The writer says:
“Remember them so that you do not grow weary and lose heart.”
Life isn’t always easy. One of the universal human experiences we all share is the need to endure. Suffering will come to all of us. There are seasons when the race feels relentlessly uphill—when the path is exhausting, lonely, and painful.
Hebrews reminds us that endurance is a normal part of the Christian life. Jesus himself said:
“In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart—I have overcome the world.”
In Hebrews 12, we’re given three encouragements for enduring:
Remember you’re not alone.
Run your race—not someone else’s.
Fix your eyes on Jesus.
1. Remember You’re Not Alone
You might feel alone in your race, but you’re not. Others have gone before you. They’ve walked through heartbreak, loss, and disappointment—and they finished.
Hardship is not a sign that God has left us. In fact, it’s often where our faith grows the deepest.
So remember: you are not alone in whatever you’re facing. You’re surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who are cheering you on.
2. Run Your Race—Not Someone Else’s
It’s easy to compare ourselves to others. But you are not called to run your neighbor’s race, your friend’s race, or even your spouse’s race. You are called to run yours.
In the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, a runner from Tanzania fell, dislocated his knee, and injured his shoulder. Hours after everyone else had finished, he limped into the stadium to complete the race. By then, the medals had already been awarded.
When asked why he didn’t just quit, he replied:
“My country didn’t send me 5,000 miles to start the race. They sent me 5,000 miles to finish it.”
That’s Hebrews 12. You’ve been given a race to run. Some parts you wouldn’t choose, but it’s your race—and you hold the hand of your friend Jesus, who endured darkness and death, overcame, and now resides in you.
3. Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
Jesus endured the cross not because it was easy, but because of “the joy set before Him”—the joy of bringing us into the family of God. His endurance makes our endurance possible.
So ask yourself:
What is weighing you down in your race right now?
What part feels impossible?
Remember—you're not running alone. You are being cheered on and carried by Christ. The same Spirit who helped Jesus endure lives in you.
You might not get the medal you wanted, but you will receive something far greater:
Grace to keep going.
Courage to take the next step.
Hope that one day God will set all things right.
The Finish Line Is Ahead
So today—just put one foot in front of the other.
You are worth it.
You are loved.
The finish line is coming.
And one day, we will all hear those words:
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
No matter what you face today, you will hear those words one day. So take heart—and give heart to others.
May you not grow weary in doing good.
Keep going.
