In the world of the ANE, athletic contests were a common form of entertainment and sport. The Greeks and Romans built huge stadiums for people to gather to watch various forms of competition.

In Philippians 3, Paul uses such imagery to describe the Christian life. The Christian life is something like a foot race, perhaps a marathon. The runners are all striving and straining to win the race. Winners in the race must endure difficulties by keeping their focus on the finish line.

Winning a race or even finishing a race depends a great deal on how you approach it—what is your frame of mind, what are you thinking about, what you are focusing on. Contestants will not win if they are constantly looking back over their shoulder or being distracted by things along the way. They win by focusing on the goal.

The new year is approaching quickly. As we transition into 2026, it’s a good time to consider how well we are running the Christian race. Are we persevering in the race? Are we keeping our eyes on the goals that God has given us? Are we distracted by other things? Have we quit the race, or perhaps we are sitting on the sidelines just watching?

This passage in Philippians gives us some encouragement for running the Christian race this coming year. Let’s consider the advice Paul gives us for running the race successfully in 2026.