Every Thursday I feature a “throwback” post from my blog archive. The goal is to look back and discover new lessons or opportunities to grow. This week, we’ll look at “The Last Half Mile” You can view the original post here. For today, here’s a quick recap and a few more thoughts about facing our fears and finishing well!

Sometimes, time doesn’t change much. When I wrote this post originally, I was a pretty avid runner. I was often working to improve my form, lower my times, and increase my distance. Over the years and despite whatever training I did, one thing that remained true was that the last half mile was always going to be the worst. And even though I don’t really run anymore, this concept has remained true. No matter what you are doing, if we’re not careful, the last half mile can be where it all falls apart.

Years ago, I had a dream of writing a book. I had no idea what I wanted that book to be about, but I knew I wanted to add “author” to my list of personal accomplishments. I let that dream sit idle for quite some time until one day, I just started writing. I began writing personal stories and tying those stories to the lessons I had learned through them. I wrote about the coffee process and how that process reinforced those lessons. Finally, I shared the Biblical truths that God reminded me of as I recalled those stories. One day I looked at what I had, and saw that I had quite a collection of words. It wasn’t quite a book because it didn’t have a central point or an ending but the majority of the “heavy lifting” was done. All I needed to do to finish that book was take that manuscript the last half mile.

I wish I could tell you that I sprinted that last half mile, got the manuscript finished, and shared that book with the world, but that is not the case. Instead, I set it aside and told myself I’d get to it eventually. It took me three years to pick that book back up and get it done. Even though I saw the finish line, I quit. The finish line was right there, and I quit.

Have you ever quit even though the finish line is in sight?

As I look back at that moment, here’s what I have discovered; it wasn’t the work I was trying to avoid, it was fear. Fear caused me to quit. Fear told me that I should keep that book on my shelf. Fear told me what I was writing was stupid, pointless, or worthless. Fear told me that I had nothing within me that was worth sharing and I listened. I got to the last half mile and I got scared of what would happen if I actually crossed the finish line.

What has fear convinced you to shelve? I want to encourage you to pick it back up. Maybe fear is right and no one will read my book¹, but at the end of the day, I still wrote it. I accomplished the goal. No matter what fear says, I am an author and I will continue to write because God has given me this gift and called me to use it. What He does with it is up to him. Check out what the Apostle Peter says about our gifts:

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

All we have to do to live a life of purpose is honor God with our gifts. The rest is up to Him. So whether you are standing at the starting line, grinding through the middle, or closing in on that last half-mile, keep going. Keep using your gifts and pursuing the dreams God has called you to pursue. The last half-mile can be filled with pain, doubt, fear, and fatigue, but the finish line is coming and there is a celebration waiting on the other side. Keep running!

¹I’d love to note here that fear is a liar. I wrote the book and people have purchased and read that book! You can do the same here! All of that to say, don’t let fear tell you that your gift is not worth sharing. Actually, that’s the whole point of this post so… I’ll let you get back to it.