I have been asked what my most favorite season is; Autumn, a time when we enjoy the fruits of our labors. A time when we reflect on the efforts put forth. A time when we look back and remember. A time to get things in order, transition from summer to winter, Autumn. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

When we reflect on our journey do we realize we look back with a filter. Many times we have selective memories, we remember the good times. Those memories can become bigger than the original experience. We do remember the disappointments, but soon they are replaced with the memories of better times, better days, and those victories we achieved along the way.

Autumn is a time where we can enjoy the efforts put forth, a time to wind down, relax and reflect on the road we walked. A time to evaluate and get things in order. Paul wrote to Timothy in the autumn of his years;

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

What does it mean to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith? Those answers are different for all of us. Each one of us has been uniquely created by God. Each one of us has a unique path to walk prepared by God. Each one of us has a unique fight to win.

Look around at the splendor of God’s creation. I have seen over sixty-five autumns in my years and not one has been the same, each one is unique. Not only for the timing and the changing of the landscape, but each autumn I look back on a different path I have walked.

God has an order to things in this world. He will reveal that to us if we take the time to ask. When we look outside of ourselves, we begin to see God’s plan for our lives. Paul shared with us the order of things, battles to fight, races to finish, faith to keep.

Let me ask, how do we deal with those challenges? Do we face them with the right perspective? Do we look at each one as one to be won the right way, the way that would please God?

Finishing is not a forgone conclusion. For whatever reason sometimes we don’t, we drop out. Maybe we don’t have the perseverance to finish. That may be because we didn’t fight the battle in the right way. We may have kept ourselves from finishing because of the way we fought the fight.

I have seen many take themselves out of the race by trying to get even with another competitor. Fighting a good fight is important, finishing the race is our objective, but we cannot finish if we do not run in such a way as to win. Are we looking toward finishing or just fighting the battle? Have you ever won the battle and lost the war? God asked us to look at the big picture. He asks us to let the little things go and focus on finishing the race. 

Herein lies the key, keep the faith. Paul explains that in every battle, in every race there is one overarching goal, keep the faith. Faith in God, not faith in our own abilities. We will not win every race, but we can finish every race. We will not win every battle, but we can fight the good fight. In the end we need to maintain our faith in God and know that He is the one that determines if our efforts are true and faithful.

God has a master plan that will lead us to the finish line in a way that honors Him.

Ephesians 2:10; For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Even when we don’t understand what is happening at the moment, we need to trust that God does and has our best interest in mind. Sometimes losing the race is better for us than winning. Win or lose we can always fight the good fight, finish the race and keep the faith.

Romans 8:28; And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

As autumn rolls on, where do we find ourselves? Can we look back on the season past and say we have fought the good fight? Can we say we have finished the race? Have we kept the faith? 

New seasons will be here soon enough and the battles of this year will soon be but a memory. What will be said of us? What will be said of our efforts? Who will people say we served, ourselves or God?

Let me encourage you, there is time to take your life in a different direction. If you look back and you don’t see actions and words that honor God, he will forgive you. He has made a provision for that through Jesus Christ. Receive it as a gift as He intended it. Make a commitment now to receive that forgiveness.

With that in hand we are prepared to start our journey, run our race. We can move forward in a way that will show our faith in God. We can fight the good fight, as we turn to God and receive the good works He prepared in advance for us to do. Keep the faith.

As we look forward, let us take the right steps to prepare to fight the good fight, finish the race and keep the faith. Do it all to the glory and honor of God.

Blessings,

Pastor Don