Introduction: The Last Mile of the Marathon

Have you ever watched the end of a marathon? You see runners who are absolutely spent. Their legs are cramping, their breath is ragged, and their faces are etched with pain. They’ve run 25 miles, but that last mile feels like a hundred. They are weak, they are exhausted, and many of them are on the verge of quitting.

But then you see it. A teammate, a family member, or even a total stranger runs alongside them for a few feet, yelling, “You can do it! You’re almost there! Don’t you quit!” They hand them a cup of water. They put a hand on their back. In that moment, they are not judging their weakness; they are fueling their perseverance. They are giving them just enough courage to take the next step.

Listen to me, church. The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. And all around us, every single week, are brothers and sisters running in that last mile. They are weak, they are weary, and they are wondering if they can go on. The question is, are you the one standing on the sidelines with your arms crossed, or are you the one running alongside them, offering a cup of water?

Devotional

This is one of the most practical commands in all of Scripture for building a victorious community. Look at the words Paul uses: “encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” This isn’t a suggestion for the super-spiritual. This is a baseline command for every single person who calls themselves a follower of Christ. It’s part of our family duty.

Let’s be real honest. Our default setting is often to critique weakness, not to encourage it. We see someone struggling with the same sin again and we get impatient. We see someone wrestling with doubt and we offer simple platitudes instead of real presence. We see someone exhausted from life’s battles and we silently judge them for not having more faith. That is the world’s way.

But the way of the Kingdom, the way of EXTREME love, is to move toward the weak, not away from them. To “help” means to take hold of, to support, to prop up. It’s an active, hands-on ministry. And notice the final command: “be patient with them ALL.” Why did Paul add that? Because it’s hard! Helping weary people is not neat and tidy. It takes time, it takes energy, and it takes a deep well of God’s grace.

This is spiritual warfare. The enemy wants to pick off the stragglers. He wants to isolate the weak and weary so he can whisper lies to them that they are alone and that their struggle disqualifies them. When you step in to encourage the fainthearted, you are standing in the gap. You are directly fighting against the enemy’s strategy. You are reminding your brother or sister of their identity in Christ when they have forgotten it. You are lending them your faith until theirs is strong again. This is how a spiritual family wins the marathon—not by the strength of its fastest runners, but by its commitment to make sure everyone crosses the finish line.