Champions Are Built in the Again
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
One of the most powerful truths in the Christian life is this. Champions are not born on the mountaintop. Champions are shaped in the places where we choose to try again. When the Apostle Paul says, “I press on toward the goal,” he is describing a life of persistence, resilience, and determined faith. He is reminding us that spiritual growth is not a one time moment but a daily decision. It is choosing to lean in again. Trust again. Believe again. Move forward again.
We all face moments where giving up feels easier. A prayer that seems unanswered. A dream that looks delayed. A relationship that has been strained. A habit that seems hard to break. Life has a way of testing our endurance. Yet Paul gives us a picture of someone who refuses to settle. Someone whose faith keeps reaching forward even when the road feels long.
In this week’s sermon, I shared how champions are built in the again. The again is the place where character is formed. The again is where faith grows deeper. The again is where our roots go down into God’s strength instead of our own. The again is where our spiritual muscles are trained. Everyone loves the idea of victory, but victory is produced in the persistence.
Think about athletes. They do not become champions because of one moment in the spotlight. They become champions because of thousands of small decisions. They show up again. They train again. They stretch again. They get up early again. They keep going when nobody is cheering. They believe in the process even when they do not see immediate results.
It is the same with us. God grows us when we choose to step out again. When we choose to pray again even when we feel tired. When we choose to worship again even when our hearts feel heavy. When we choose to forgive again even when it is painful. When we choose to get up again even after a fall. Each time you try again, heaven sees it. Each time you press on, God strengthens you.
The truth is this. Breakthrough rarely happens in one dramatic moment. Breakthrough is built over time, through small faithful steps that lead to big spiritual victories. God is not asking you to be perfect. He is asking you to be persistent. He is asking you to press on. You are not called to run at someone else’s pace, but to keep moving forward at the pace of grace.
Maybe today you need to begin again in an area you have given up on. Start praying for that family member again. Take that step of faith again. Speak those words of encouragement again. Open your Bible again. Reach out again. Believe again. Each small step is a brick in the foundation of what God is building in your life.
Do not underestimate the power of consistency. Champions are not built in the highlights. They are built in the daily, ordinary, simple decisions to press on. And as you press on, God will meet you with fresh strength, new hope, and the grace you need to keep going.
So be encouraged today. Your again is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of faith. God is with you, and He will help you press on toward the goal He has set before you.
Prayer of the Day:
Father, thank You that You give me strength each time I choose to press on. Help me to keep trying, trusting, and believing even when things feel slow. Build my character in the small moments and give me the courage to begin again where I need to. In Jesus name, Amen.