Running Together Toward the Eternal Goal: In, By, For Christ

Being a family is more than sharing the same roof or bloodline. It is getting together, sharing together, rejoicing together, experiencing life together, and—most of all—walking together toward the same goal.

The apostle Paul once compared life to a race. He wrote in Philippians 3:13–14:

Paul’s words remind us: life is not random. There is a finish line, a goal worth running toward. And when we see the goal clearly, it gives meaning to our struggle, endurance for our hardships, and even joy along the way.

But here is the challenge: there are many goals in life. Some goals change with age, others fade with time. When we were young, our goals may have been simple—success in school, a dream career, buying a house, or achieving recognition. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:11:

Goals shift as we grow. Some that once felt urgent later seem trivial. Yet one goal never changes: the eternal goal God sets before us. Unlike earthly achievements, it does not fade, does not move, and does not disappoint.

Today, let’s explore together how life’s struggles, joys, and failures shape us—and how, in the end, God offers us an eternal goal through Jesus Christ.

We’ll consider three truths:

Think back to your younger years. What did you dream of? Perhaps it was winning a trophy, buying a certain car, getting into a university, or landing a dream job. In the moment, those goals felt absolute, worth chasing with all your strength. Yet looking back now, many of them feel small, even foolish.

Paul reflects on this reality in 1 Corinthians 13:11:

Youth is beautiful, but it is also vulnerable. We are easily captivated by things that shimmer but don’t last. We pursue desires that consume our energy but soon reveal themselves to be temporary—like chasing shadows that disappear with the setting sun.

And yet, those fleeting goals shape us. They teach us lessons. Sometimes we look back and laugh at how much we once cared. Other times we wince at the mistakes, regret the wasted time, or even feel shame. But here is the good news: God wastes nothing.

Scripture promises us in Romans 8:28:

That means even our misplaced goals, our failures, and our childish desires are woven into God’s greater plan.

Consider Joseph in Genesis. As a young man, his dream was of greatness, symbolized in visions of his brothers bowing down. His youthful boasting created jealousy and hostility. That immaturity led him into betrayal, slavery, and prison. Yet years later, Joseph stood as second-in-command of Egypt, saving countless lives during a famine. Looking back, he told his brothers:

Joseph’s early dreams may have been naive, but God used even his mistakes and sufferings to prepare him for a far greater purpose.

Think of a young athlete chasing the dream of winning a championship. He trains for years, pushing his body to the limit. Perhaps he finally achieves it—but a few years later, the trophy gathers dust on a shelf. The applause fades. The glory is temporary. Yet along the way, the discipline, teamwork, and resilience he developed shape who he becomes.

Life is not only about youthful dreams and temporary goals—it is also about battles. Every person faces hardships. No one escapes them. Some are small: daily frustrations, financial pressures, misunderstandings. Others are large: illness, betrayal, or the death of someone we love. Struggles are built into the human condition. They are not exceptions; they are the normal fabric of life.

Even creation itself teaches us this truth. Scientists once grew trees in a controlled environment where there was no wind or storm. At first, the trees appeared strong, rising tall and beautiful. But soon they began to collapse under their own weight. Why? Because without resistance, their roots never pushed deep into the soil. The very lack of struggle made them fragile. Life without hardship is not truly life—it leads to weakness and collapse.

The Bible points us toward this mystery: struggles have purpose. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:16–17:

Notice what Paul says—our troubles achieve something. They are not random, nor are they wasted. God uses them as tools to renew us inwardly, shaping us for an eternal glory we cannot yet see. The very pressures that seem to crush us are the ones God uses to prepare us.

This truth is echoed in James’ letter. James 1:2–4 says:

James does not say trials are pleasant. He says they are productive. Trials test our faith, and that testing produces perseverance. Perseverance shapes maturity, and maturity brings us closer to completeness. Just as physical muscles grow stronger when strained, spiritual character develops when stretched.

Every human being, no matter how rich or powerful, ultimately faces the same struggle—the battle against time, weakness, and death. Youth disguises it for a while, but eventually age unmasks it. The strongest athlete grows weak. The sharpest mind slows. The wealthiest person cannot buy back a single day of life. In the end, the battle is universal.

History gives examples of how deeply humanity longs to overcome this reality. The ancient emperor of China sent expeditions to find an elixir of immortality. He built armies, collected treasures, and searched the earth for a way to defeat death. Yet like every man, he died. His efforts remind us of a truth that cannot be denied: no human strength, no human wisdom, no human achievement can defeat the limits of mortality.

And yet, our desire for eternity will not go away. Where does this longing come from? The writer of Ecclesiastes 3:11 explains:

This is why struggles sting so deeply—they remind us that we are fragile, temporary, and incomplete. But they also awaken us to something greater. Our hearts know we were made for more than just the few decades we have here. We long for permanence, for something unshakable.

Life’s struggles, then, are not only obstacles to overcome. They are signposts pointing us toward eternity. They strip away our illusions of self-sufficiency. They teach us humility. They awaken the hunger for something lasting. And they prepare us to receive the gift God offers in Christ—eternal life that no storm can take away.

If earthly goals fade and life’s struggles reveal our weakness, where does our hope come from? The answer is not in ourselves but in God’s eternal promise, fulfilled in Christ.

Throughout Scripture, God reveals Himself as the One who makes and keeps promises. To Abraham, He promised descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. To Israel, He promised a land flowing with milk and honey. To David, He promised that one of his descendants would sit on a throne forever. These promises gave direction, endurance, and hope to God’s people through centuries of trials.

Yet these promises were not ends in themselves. They were shadows pointing forward to the greatest promise: eternal life through Jesus Christ. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:20:

Every promise finds its fulfillment in Him.

Jesus Himself spoke words of promise to His disciples on the night before His crucifixion. In John 14:1–3, He said:

This is not merely comfort for a fearful moment. It is the foundation of Christian hope. The One who conquered death promises to bring us into His presence forever.

But can this promise ever fail? Paul answers emphatically in Romans 8:38–39:

Here is the unshakable reality: no power in heaven, on earth, or under the earth can sever those who are in Christ from the love of God. The promise is secure because it rests not on human faithfulness but on God’s unchanging character.

Even though our outward bodies decay, our inner being can be renewed daily by this promise. The writer of Hebrews 10:23 urges us:

The focus is not on the strength of our grip but on the faithfulness of the One who holds us. Christ Himself is both the promise and the guarantor.

Paul described his life as running toward a goal:

That prize is not wealth, comfort, or even long life on this earth. It is eternity with Christ, the goal that does not fade, the inheritance that cannot perish, spoil, or fade (1 Peter 1:4).

Life is a journey marked by goals, struggles, and hopes. Some of the goals we set for ourselves when we are young seem so urgent and important at the time. Yet, as the years pass, they fade. Trophies gather dust, possessions lose their shine, and even achievements that once defined us become memories. Still, God uses even those fleeting desires to shape us, teaching us lessons that prepare us for something greater.

Life also confronts us with struggles—losses, disappointments, hardships we never anticipated. These storms test us. But in them, God is at work. Trials push our roots deeper into faith, refine our character, and awaken in us a longing for something more than this world can offer. They remind us that we are mortal, that earthly life is short, but that eternity has been placed in our hearts.

And this is where the Gospel speaks. The eternal promise is not wishful thinking—it is secured in Christ. He gives us more than temporary dreams or passing victories. He gives us eternal life, unshakable hope, and a future with Him. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:38–39, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore, let us not run aimlessly, chasing goals that fade. Let us not despair under the weight of struggles. Instead, let us run together as God’s family—sharing burdens, rejoicing in victories, enduring trials, and keeping our eyes fixed on the eternal prize.

Paul declared in Philippians 3:14:

This is our goal. This is our hope. And this is our assurance—secured forever in Christ.

Let’s pray together.

Heavenly Father,

We thank You that in a world of shifting goals and temporary pursuits, You give us an eternal goal that never changes. Thank You for using even our childish dreams and our painful struggles to shape us and lead us closer to You.

Lord, we confess that too often we chase what does not last. Too often we give our hearts to temporary things and forget the eternal. Forgive us, renew us, and lift our eyes to the goal You have set before us in Christ.

Give us strength to endure, courage to face struggles, and faith to rejoice even in hardship. Remind us daily that our true citizenship is in heaven, and that one day we will be fully restored in Your presence.

Help us walk together as a family of faith—sharing, rejoicing, experiencing, and most of all running toward You.

We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and our eternal goal.