“Finishing the Race with Joy”

January 5, 2026 Daily Devotional: “Finishing the Race with Joy”Acts 20:24  ​"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." ​ In this passage, the Apostle Paul is speaking to the elders of the church in Ephesus. He knows that "chains and tribulations" await him in Jerusalem. Most people, when faced with certain hardship, would look for an exitstrategy. But Paul’s perspective was different because his focus wasn't on his comfort, but on his calling. ​The unshakable purpose emits powerful shifts in perspective that we can apply to our lives today. None of these things moved Paul, he wasn't saying he didn't feel pain nor fear. He was saying that external circumstances didn't have the power to change hisinternal direction. When your foundation is built on Christ, the storms of life might shake your house, but they cannot move your bedrock. Neither did Paul count his life dear to himself. This is perhaps the hardest lesson for us. In a world that tells us to "self-care" above all else, Paulreminds us that the highest form of living is self-surrender. When we stop trying to protect our own reputation or comfort, we become truly free to serve God. ​Notice that Paul doesn’t just want to finish; he wants to finish with joy. Christian endurance isn't about gritting your teeth and being miserable until the end. It’s about finding deep, abiding satisfaction in the fact that you are doingexactly what God created you to do. ​The goal is in the Gospel of Grace! At the end of the day, Paul’s mission was simple; to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. It is the fuel that allowsus to run the race. We don’t run to earn God’s love; we run because we have already received it. ​ What "circumstance" is currently moving you or causing you to lose focus on God's peace? In what area of your life are you holding on too tightly to your own comfort instead of God’s calling? ​ How can you share the "Gospel of Grace" with someone in your circle today through your actions or words?​