This past Sunday’s message, “Finish Strong, Step Forward,” was both a reflection and a challenge. It reminded us that how we finish matters just as much as how we start, and that faith is never meant to leave us standing still. God is always calling His people to move forward, stronger, wiser, and more dependent on Him than before.

So often, the end of a season brings mixed emotions. There is gratitude for what God has done, relief that a hard stretch is over, and sometimes disappointment over what did not turn out the way we hoped. But Scripture consistently shows us that God specializes in transitions. He closes chapters not to diminish us, but to prepare us for what comes next.

Finishing strong does not mean finishing perfect. It means finishing faithful. It means refusing to quit when things get uncomfortable, refusing to grow cynical when prayers take longer than expected, and refusing to carry unresolved baggage into a new season. God honors perseverance, and He strengthens those who choose obedience over ease.

But the message did not stop at finishing. It pressed us toward stepping forward. Faith that only looks backward becomes stagnant. God told Joshua to move forward into the Promised Land not after everything felt safe, but while courage was still being tested. Stepping forward always requires trust. It requires leaving familiar ground and believing that God is already waiting ahead of us.

For some, stepping forward means letting go of fear. For others, it means releasing regret. For many, it means trusting God again after disappointment. Whatever the case, forward motion in the Kingdom is never passive. It is a deliberate decision to believe that God is not finished and that our best days are not behind us.

At Grace Church, this message was timely. We are grateful for what God has done, but we are not content to remain where we are. We honor the past without living in it. We learn from it, grow through it, and then step forward with expectation. God is still moving. He is still calling. And He is still faithful.

As you reflect this week, consider where God may be asking you to finish strong, perhaps in obedience, forgiveness, commitment, or endurance. Then ask where He is inviting you to step forward, in faith, vision, and renewed purpose.

The same God who brought you this far is the God who will lead you forward. Finish strong. Step forward. The next season is already unfolding.

With faith and expectation,

Pastor Chris Tullis

Grace Church