2Tim 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith
Apostle Paul is giving final words before he dies. He reflects on his labors, battles in life and his endurance until the end. They took away his freedom, his possessions, he was stoned and left for dead, his credibility attacked, his future was in jeopardy, he dealt with difficult people in churches. One thing they could not take away from him was his FAITH. His faith remained intact through every step of the way.
He did not fear death, because he had the testimony of his conscience that by the grace of God he had in some measure answered the ends of living, the glory of God. He fought the good fight by laboring for Christ and enduring life obstacles. He finished his race without giving up or fainting on the way. What speed he ran at did not matter, the fact that he finished the race shows how faithful he was. And most definitely, he kept the FAITH (salvation). If you asked him how he did it, he will gently respond,”God’s grace was sufficient”. Everything can be taken away but your faith. It’s not how you start that matters the most, it is how you fight, endure and finish.