“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” – Acts 20:24
Let me ask you something: What are you running toward?
Not literally (though if you’re training for a 5K, props to you). I’m talking about your life. When you think about the finish line of your story, what do you want to be standing there holding?
Paul’s words in Acts 20:24 hit differently when you realize the context. He’s not writing this from a beach resort or during his best life season. He’s heading toward Jerusalem, fully aware that persecution, imprisonment, and hardship are waiting for him. His friends are literally begging him not to go.
And yet—read that verse again. “I consider my life worth nothing to me.”
That’s not depression talking. That’s clarity. That’s someone who found the one thing worth running toward, and everything else became background noise.
The Problem With Our Playlists
We’re all running races, but most of us are running in about seventeen different directions at once.
We want to be successful. But also liked. We want to make money. But also make a difference. We want to follow Jesus. But also not miss out on anything. We’re exhausted because we’re trying to win multiple races simultaneously, and spoiler alert—that’s not how racing works.
Paul discovered something revolutionary: When you find your one race, everything else falls into place.
His race? Testifying to the good news of God’s grace. That’s it. That became his filter for every decision, every opportunity, every relationship.
So What’s Your Race?
Here’s where this gets practical. You might be thinking, “Cool, Paul was an apostle. I’m a sophomore/working retail/just trying to pay bills. What’s my grand mission?”
Plot twist: Your race is the same as Paul’s.
You might not be planting churches across the Roman Empire, but you absolutely have a sphere of influence that no one else has. That school, that workplace, that family, that friend group, those DMs—that’s your mission field.
The question isn’t whether you have a race to run. The question is: Are you running it?
Three Ways to Start Running YOUR Race Today
1. Identify What You’re Actually Running Toward
Take fifteen minutes this week and get honest with yourself. What’s actually driving your decisions right now? Approval? Comfort? Security? Success? None of these are evil, but are they the thing?
Write down this question: “If my life testified to something, what would it be right now?” The answer might surprise you.
2. Ditch the Comparison Track
Paul didn’t say, “I need to finish the race exactly like Peter finished his.” Your race looks different from your best friend’s race, your youth pastor’s race, that influencer’s race. God isn’t grading on a curve.
Stop measuring your impact by follower counts, salary numbers, or who’s doing more. Your faithfulness in your race is what matters.
3. Tell Someone About Grace This Week
Testifying to God’s grace doesn’t require a theology degree or a stadium. It starts with being honest about what God has done in your life.
Text someone who’s struggling and tell them how God met you in a similar place. Share your story with a friend who’s curious about faith. Post something real about your journey (yeah, even on social media).
The race isn’t about perfection—it’s about pointing people to the grace that’s changed everything for you.
The Finish Line That Actually Matters
Here’s what I love about Paul’s perspective: He considered his life “worth nothing” except for the mission. That sounds extreme until you realize what he gained in exchange—a life of unshakeable purpose, profound impact, and zero regrets.
When you’re running the right race, even the hard parts make sense. The sacrifice doesn’t feel like loss—it feels like investment. The difficulties don’t derail you—they refine you.
Paul ended up in prison, shipwrecked, beaten, exhausted. But when he wrote his last letters, there was no bitterness, no “what if I’d played it safe?” Just this: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
That’s the finish line we’re all running toward. Not a life where everything went smoothly, but a life where we ran the race God marked out for us, testified to His grace with our whole lives, and crossed the finish line with nothing left in the tank and everything gained in eternity.
Your Move
So here’s your challenge: This week, do one thing that moves you forward in your race. Have one conversation you’ve been avoiding. Take one step toward that calling you’ve been ignoring. Make one choice that prioritizes your mission over your comfort.
Because here’s the truth—you’re going to finish some race. The only question is whether it’ll be the one that actually matters.
What are you running toward? Drop a comment and let’s encourage each other forward.
Now go run.
Salt + Cedar Collective 