1 Corinthians 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
Paul wasn’t worried about losing his salvation—he was concerned about becoming disqualified, unusable in the race of faith. The term “castaway” paints a picture of someone set aside after being tested and found lacking. That’s a hard word, especially when it’s coming from a man like Paul, who gave his all for the Gospel. But if Paul knew he needed to stay alert, then so do we.
It’s heartbreaking to see people who once ran well, now sitting on the sidelines—wounded, disillusioned, or just plain distant from God. I remember driving past a serious car accident. A vehicle had veered off the road and ended up in the woods. Police lights were flashing, the driver was being loaded into an ambulance, and I was staring so hard trying to understand what happened that I nearly crashed myself. Isn’t that just like us? We see others fall, and we get curious or even judgmental—but fail to check our own direction. We forget we’re still driving too.
Paul’s words remind us that no one is above the danger of spiritual drift. We must keep a humble, honest heart before God. Discipline matters. Holiness matters. A clear conscience matters. And when we do fall short, we get back up, by God’s grace, and run again—not for applause, but for a crown that never fades.
📖 Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 1:18–19, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Hebrews 12:1–2, Galatians 5:7, Revelation 2:4–5