He knew for sure what he wanted to do. But everywhere he went, he got in trouble. Some of his friends tried to protect him. But the Apostle Paul was not going to let anything stop him.

That is why in Acts 20;24, he said to his friends, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

We all face obstacles in life. Situations and even friends threaten to swerve us off the path of serving Jesus. We might even begin to rationalize and believe that it’s better to quit than persevere.

Three phrases are important to remember when you want to quit: my life, my course, my ministry…

1. My Life.

Our life is a gift from God. Our talents, our abilities, our strengths, and even our weaknesses are all part of God’s divine plan. God made you and saved you.

Paul did not keep his life to himself. He gave it back to God for Him to use. There is a principle that says whatever you keep, you lose; whatever you lose, you possess forever. If you keep and pamper yourself, you will never really live. But if you yield your life the the Lord and let Him control your life, you will enjoy abundant life.

Have you noticed that selfish people are unhappy people? And the happiest person you know is probably one of the most unselfish people you know. When you go through life asking ‘What’s in it for me?’ instead of ‘What can I give?’ you lose out on all the blessings God has for those who turn their life over to Him.

2. My Course

The word ‘course’ that Paul used suggests a race. The important thing is that we obey the rules, keep running for the prize, and stay in the correct lane. If we do, God will reward us at the end of the course.

Paul wanted to finish his race, not someone else’s. As Christians, we are not in competition with other believers. We are in competition with ourselves. Are we farther along the course today than we were last week? Or have we slipped and lost ground spiritually?

What keeps us from running the race as we should? Sometimes we get out of training. The Christian must obey the Lord and be careful about the spiritual disciplines. Hebrews 12:1 warns about the sin and weights that slow us down. There are some things in life that keep us from running a good race. Athletes need proper diet and rest. As Christians, we need a steady diet of God’s Word and prayer. We also need to rest in the Lord and trust Him for the strength we need.

3. My Ministry

Each of us has a special ministry from the Lord that no one can do for us. We are responsible to finish it. We should never envy what somebody else does for the Lord, because every ministry is important.

Paul’s ministry was to share the gospel of grace. Gospel is the good news of forgiveness that is found in Jesus Christ. Grace explains that this salvation is free. Whatever ministry God has given you, you need to take the Gospel of Grace and share it with others.

My Life, My Course, My Ministry. Ask yourself these questions…

• Am I holding my life dear to myself, or do I yield my life to Christ?
• Am I running the course God has assigned me?
• Am I fulfilling the ministry He has given me to do?