Finishing Well
(Even When the Newness Wears Off)
February has a way of quietly testing us. The excitement of a fresh start has faded, routines are back in full force, and many of the goals we felt so confident about just a few weeks ago are already harder to keep. If you’re feeling that tension, you’re not alone.
At the beginning of last year, I set a personal goal to hike 100 miles on the North Country Trail. I started strong in the spring. The weather was beautiful, my energy was high, and my hiking shoes barely had time to cool off between trips. Then summer arrived with unexpected challenges—two out-of-state funerals for family members, several very hot days, and, if I’m being honest, moments when commitment slowly gave way to excuses.
I picked the goal back up in the fall, but when winter began creeping in, I realized I was still nine miles short. Those nine miles felt like they were constantly hanging over my head. It would have been easy to say, “I’ll just count it as a good attempt,” or “There’s always next year.” Instead, I bundled up and went out three different days in the cold, snow, and wind, and I finished. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t fast, but it was finished.
That experience reminded me of this verse: “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1). Not sprinting. Not running perfectly. Just continuing to take the next step—even when the conditions aren’t ideal. Another verse that stayed with me was “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Philippians 1:6).
Sometimes the most important part of a goal isn’t how we start—it’s that we finish well, even when the excitement is gone, and the work feels harder. As we move through the early months of the year, maybe your goal isn’t 100 miles on a trail. Maybe it’s spending more time in Scripture, being more present with your family, serving consistently, or simply trusting God when motivation feels thin. And if you’ve stumbled already, take heart—“The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10).
February is a great reminder that faithfulness often looks like quiet perseverance. One step at a time. One cold mile at a time. Still moving forward.