The Trophy Has Your Name on It

In every championship, there’s a prize. In every race, there’s a reward. Athletes train for hours, rising before dawn, pressing through fatigue, through injury, through disappointment. They face criticism. They endure setbacks. But they keep going. Why? Because their eyes are fixed on the trophy.

St. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Run in such a way as to get the prize.” That means run with purpose. Run with passion. Run like you know God is going to crown your effort with victory. Because He will.

Every challenge, every trial, every sleepless night, every tear—none of it is wasted. God is using it all. He’s shaping your soul, stretching your spiritual muscles. It’s Him building your endurance. You’re not just going through it, but you’re growing through it. And if you keep running, if you don’t let discouragement bench you, there’s a trophy waiting.

When a player wins the game, the whole crowd goes wild. But what they don’t see are the early mornings. The sacrifices. The pain behind the scenes. That’s you. Maybe nobody sees what you’ve been through, but God sees it. And He has a reward for that kind of faithfulness.

Jesus said in Revelation 3:11: “Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” Hold on, my friends. Don’t give up now. Don’t let bitterness steal your blessing. Don’t let fear rob you of your favor. Don’t let weariness take your trophy.

You may be in overtime right now. You’ve prayed and nothing’s changed. You’ve worked hard, and the breakthrough hasn’t come. But overtime is when champions rise. That’s when the crowd’s on the edge of their seats, and heaven is watching. You’re closer than you think.

And when the final whistle blows, you’re going to look back and see that it was all worth it. The late nights, the lonely seasons, the times when you felt like giving up. God will hand you that trophy and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

So keep running the race. Keep your head up. Keep pressing forward. The prize is still ahead. And it’s got your name written on it.