A casual mentality should never be entertained in our walk of faith. The Christian walk is typified as a race in our opening scripture. In a race, one can participate casually and they are not really interested in winning. Their pride is in participation. But there are those who participate with purpose and are determined to win. This should be your mentality. We are encouraged to run to win. You must have purpose in heart. You must be result oriented like Apostle Paul. His eyes were on the prize. As a minister, He didn’t just serve God casually. He was very focused on fulfilling God’s purpose as attested in 1 Corinthians 9:26 (NIV): “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air”. He also testified before King Agrippa: “I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision”. (Acts 26:19). He stayed focused on God’s calling to the end. Running to win entails executing God’s mission with discipline, diligence and focus. He testified in 1 Corinthians 15:10 (APM): “But by the [remarkable] grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not without effect. In fact, I worked harder than all of the apostles, though it was not I, but the grace of God [His unmerited favor and blessing which was] with me”. He was not lazy in serving the Lord. Laziness is an enemy to purpose fulfilment.

Hear Apostle Paul’s testimony in 2 Timothy 4:6-8:”For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing”. This encapsulates the testimony of his determination in running to win. He wanted to finish with excellence and he did. Just like Paul, you will meet many distractions along the way. Don’t give in to any of them. For instance, when he knew by the Spirit that persecution was awaiting him in Jerusalem He categorically declared, “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” (Acts 20:24). He never allowed even his own life to be a distraction in the race of faith. Always have the goal in mind as you journey with the Lord. Run to win and not just to participate. See yourself finishing strong the journey of faith.