How Can We Finish Strong?

Years ago, during the height of the Covid pandemic, we made a long trip that I will never forget.

My mother in law insisted that we visit Vandy’s relatives in Mondulkiri. She was worried. She said we did not know what would happen next. What if sickness spread more. What if she would never see them again. As a mother and grandmother, her heart was heavy.

Mondulkiri is at least eight hours away from Phnom Penh. It was a long drive from Vandy’s hometown. Roads stretched far. Mountains rolled in the distance. But we went. We went to honor Mayey, which means grandma in Khmer. We went because love sometimes looks like obedience.

That trip became more than a family visit. It became a lesson about endurance.

When we arrived, they welcomed us with joy. For them, it was amazing that foreigners like me and David came to their home. They were fascinated that we spoke English. It was their first time hosting someone from another country. They prepared their best for us. Wild meat dried like jerky. Fresh honey. Native chicken soup. Sweet & sour passion fruits. They even gave us two sacks of avocado & dragon fruits, which Mondulkiri is known for. 

Sumptious dinner prepared by Vandy's relatives in Mondulkiri

Mondulkiri feels like New Zealand of Cambodia. Rolling hills. Green slopes. Waterfalls. Forests covered in clouds. Cool breeze. Cold mornings with fog hanging low. It is not the dry desert that we usually imagine when we think about certain plants.

Bousra Water Falls in Mondulkiri during the rainy season

Yet along the road, I saw many cacti.

I remember asking Vandy to stop the car. I had never seen such a tall and huge cactus in Cambodia. I stood there looking at it like a child. It felt like a small treasure in the middle of the hills.

Cactus in a cool and foggy place.
It surprised me.

Cactus is known for surviving in harsh places. It stores water. It grows slowly. It has sharp spines that protect it. It stands firm even when the environment is not easy.

That image stayed with me.

The cactus can grow and stay healthy in tough places. It adapts. It endures. It protects itself. It does not complain about the heat or the dryness. It simply grows where it is planted.

As I reflected on that plant, the verse in 2 Timothy 4:7 came to my heart.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, 

I have kept the faith.”

This has become one of our prayers as a couple. Vandy and I often pray that we will fight a good fight of faith. That we will finish well. That we will stay faithful for God’s glory.

Over the years in ministry, we have seen many people start strong. Some were passionate. Some were bold. Some served day and night. But slowly, some faded. Some walked away because of sin. Some because of burnout. Some because they were tired and disappointed.

It cut me deeply.
I would ask, how can this happen? 

They loved God. 

They served faithfully. 

What went wrong?

Then another question would come quietly. 
Will that happen to us too?

These are honest fears. Especially for married couples serving together. Especially for those in ministry. Especially for those in the mission field. It is easy to begin with fire. It is harder to stay steady for many years.

It is easy to say yes to God at the start. It is harder to say yes again and again when things become heavy.

That is why this verse matters so much to us.

Paul wrote these words near the end of his life. Many believe he wrote 2 Timothy from a Roman prison cell. He had suffered so much. He was shipwrecked. He was beaten. He was stoned. He was abandoned by friends. He was imprisoned. Yet when he looked back at his life, he could say with peace, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.

Faithful.

Paul was faithful to God. And through it all, God was faithful to him.

Paul knew he could not do it on his own. He depended on God for strength. He drew courage from the Lord. He clung to Christ.

When I think of the cactus again, I see a picture of this kind of faith.

Endurance is not loud. It is steady.

Resilience is not always seen by many. It is quiet strength.

For married couples, for those in ministry, for those raising children, for those working long hours, for those who feel tired and unseen, we need this kind of steady faith.

Like the cactus, we must learn to grow even in hard seasons.
Like the cactus, we must store what sustains us.
Like the cactus, we must protect what God has given us.
Like the cactus, we must stand firm even when the wind is strong.

We are not here for ourselves. 
We are here for Him. For God's Kingdom.

There are days when quitting feels easier. There are days when discouragement whispers loudly. There are days when we see others walk away and we feel shaken.

But 2 Timothy 4:7 reminds us of the bigger picture. This life is a race. It is not about how fast we start. It is about how we finish.

Let me share six simple reflections from the cactus based on 2 Timothy 4:7. I pray these will strengthen you, especially married couples, and also anyone who feels tired in their faith.

1. Store what keeps you alive

A cactus survives because it stores water inside. It prepares for dry days.

In the same way, we must store God’s Word in our hearts. We must spend time in prayer. We must worship even when we do not feel like it. We must build habits that feed our soul.

For couples, this means praying together. Reading the Bible together. Talking about your struggles openly. Do not wait for crisis before you seek God deeply.

Question:
What are we storing in our hearts right now? Is it fear or faith?

Practical application:
Set a simple time with your spouse to pray, even if it is only ten minutes. Ask God to fill your hearts again.

Prayer:
Lord, help us to store Your Word in our hearts. Prepare us for dry seasons. Teach us to depend on You daily.

2. Grow where you are planted

The cactus does not complain about the land. It grows where it is placed.

Sometimes we want a different assignment. A different church. A different city. A different season. But God calls us to faithfulness where we are.

For us in Cambodia, there are days of joy and days of struggle. There are seasons of growth and seasons that feel slow. But this is where God has planted us.

Question:
Are we faithful where God has placed us right now?

Practical application:
Instead of wishing for a different season, thank God for three things about your current situation. Choose gratitude.

Prayer:
Father, teach us to grow where You plant us. Help us to trust that You have a purpose in this place.

3. Protect your boundaries

The cactus has spines. They protect it from harm.

In marriage and ministry, we also need boundaries. Not walls that shut people out, but healthy limits that protect our calling and our family.

Guard your time together. Guard your purity. Guard your rest. Guard your friendship with your spouse.

Question:
What boundaries do we need to strengthen in our marriage or ministry?

Practical application:
Have an honest talk with your spouse about one area where you need better boundaries. Make one clear decision together.

Prayer:
Lord, give us wisdom to protect what You have entrusted to us. Help us to set healthy boundaries with love and grace.

4. Endure the weather

Cactus faces heat, wind, and storms. It bends but does not break easily.

We will face storms too. Financial needs. Health concerns. Ministry pressure. Misunderstandings. Fatigue.

Paul faced much worse. Yet he endured because his eyes were on Christ.

Question:
When storms come, where do we turn first?

Practical application:
In your next difficulty, pause and pray before reacting. Invite God into the problem immediately.

Prayer:
Jesus, when storms come, remind us that You are near. Give us strength to endure and not give up.

5. Do not compare your growth

Cactus grows slowly. It does not look impressive every day. But over time, it becomes strong and tall.

Some couples seem to move faster. Some ministries seem bigger. Some people seem more gifted.

But the race God gives each of us is personal.

Like Paul, we should not compare our own race with others. Let's focus on finishing our own race.

Question:
Are we distracted by comparing our journey with others?

Practical application:
Limit time on things that stir comparison. Instead, celebrate one step of growth in your own life.

Prayer:
Father, free us from comparison. Help us to focus on the race You have set before us.

6. Finish strong

The most powerful part of 2 Timothy 4:7 is not just fighting. It is finishing.

Many start. Not everyone finishes.

Finishing strong means staying faithful in small things. It means repenting quickly when we sin. It means asking for help when we are tired. It means choosing love again and again in marriage.

For Vandy and me, our prayer is simple. Lord, let us be faithful until the end. Keep us humble. Keep us dependent on You. Let us not drift away.

Question:
If today were the last chapter of our life, what would we want it to say?

Practical application:
Write a short statement as a couple about how you want to be remembered in faith. Pray over it together.

Prayer:
Lord, we want to finish well. Help us fight a good fight of faith. Help us run with endurance. Keep our hearts close to You until the end.

As I remember that huge cactus in Mondulkiri, standing quietly along the road, I see a picture of simple faithfulness. It was not in a desert. It was in cool hills and fog. Yet it stood tall.

Sometimes we think we need perfect conditions to grow strong faith. But strength is formed in all kinds of weather.

Paul’s life was not easy. Yet he could say with confidence that he kept the faith.

For married couples, especially those serving together, this is our daily choice. To keep the faith when we are tired. To keep the faith when friends walk away. To keep the faith when we feel unseen. To keep the faith when the work is slow.

And for those who do not yet know Christ, this verse invites you to consider what truly lasts. Success fades. Positions change. Strength weakens. But faith in Christ gives eternal hope.

At the end of our lives, titles will not matter. What will matter is whether we remained faithful to the One who called us.

May we be like the cactus. Rooted. Steady. Protected. Quietly strong.

May we be able to say one day, with peace and joy, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.

Lord, let it be true of us.

Let's finish strong together!
The Hourngs in Cambodia 💞🙏

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