Leave It All on the Track

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV)

I believe that we must take advantage of every opportunity God gives us. In every hour, every minute, every second of my life, I want everything He has for me! Do you?

Don’t you waste the intellect God has given you. Despite all of the educational obstacles and setbacks that may be in place right now, don’t bury your brain. God gave it to you, so seek every opportunity to maximize it and stretch it. Allow it to be challenged and tested. The same goes for your body, spirit, heart, and soul. Don’t bury them. Use them to full capacity.

I know that God has a future for you, but the path you take is contingent upon whether or not you take advantage of the opportunities you find along the way.

My brother, my sister, I don’t know what the Lord is nudging and prodding you to do, to become, to morph into, to sacrifice, to absorb, to consider, or to become convicted of. I simply don’t know that about your life. But I know this: don’t you bury the opportunities in this season you find yourself in. Don’t avoid them because you’re scared or because it’s going to necessitate change or because it will alter your human exchanges and relationships.

No, don’t you suppress any gift or talent or open door that God provides, because they are all a grace extended to you to become everything that God has creatively, eternally imagined for you.

You want to be able to come to the end of your life and say what Paul said: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.”

You know what Paul is saying? He is saying, “I left it all on the track. All my energy, all my zeal, all my effort and strength and resources and fervor. I ran that race with patience, looking unto Jesus, knowing He is the author and the finisher of my faith.”

That’s what I want you to be able to say: “I left it all on the track.” When you stand before God, I want you to be able to confess that you attempted to seize every opportunity that God blessed your life with.”