Good Morning Sunshine! When The Clock Is Running, Guarding Your 4th Quarter Pace Is Everything!

Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV) ~ “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

This only happens in games measured by four quarters, so it is in the fourth quarter where your pace becomes critical. This is the moment when your adrenaline alone is no longer enough, there has to be more. Coaches remind players to slow the game down, protect the ball, and make wise decisions. Rushing leads to mistakes, hesitation leads to missed opportunities. Winning teams learn how to control the tempo, knowing when to push forward and when to steady themselves. Yes, you know that the crowd is loud, the clock is visible, and fatigue is real, but this is where your wisdom matters as much as your strength. And here you are, in your own fourth quarter, learning that how you pace yourself will determine how you finish.

So, think about your fourth quarter, it’s about guarding your pace. You are still running, still believing, still showing up, but now God is teaching you how to move wisely instead of urgently. This season is not about doing more; it is about doing what matters most. Remember first things first, Matthew 6:33!  The fourth quarter exposes the danger of emotional sprinting. When pressure rises, the temptation is to rush decisions, force outcomes, or overextend yourself. Yet Scripture reminds us in Ecclesiastes 9:11 that the race is not always to the swift, but to those who endure with wisdom. God is renewing you inwardly even when your outward strength feels tested. Second Corinthians 4:16 reminds you that weariness does not mean weakness, it means transformation happening beneath the surface.

This quarter teaches you restraint. You are learning when to push and when to pause, when to speak and when to be silent, when to act and when to wait. Proverbs 19:2 warns that zeal without knowledge is not good, and wisdom now becomes your safeguard. Guarding your pace also means honoring limits. Jesus Himself withdrew to pray even when crowds demanded more. If the Son of God modeled rest and recalibration, you are not failing when you slow down, you are following wisdom. The fourth quarter requires you to have endurance that is rooted, not frantic. Hebrews 12:1 calls you to run with endurance, laying aside every weight. Some weights are not sins; they are just unnecessary pressures you were never meant to carry.

God is teaching you that pace protects clarity. When you slow your spirit, you hear His voice more clearly. Isaiah 30:21 reminds you that direction often comes quietly, not through rushing noise. This is also where comparison is exposed. Stop looking at what others are doing. Yes, they may look like they are running faster or finishing sooner, but Galatians 6:9 reminds you not to grow weary in your own race. Due season is personal, not competitive. This quarter is here to train you to value obedience over speed. Your quick obedience matters, but sustained obedience finishes strong. Luke 9:62 reminds us that no one who puts their hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom, forward focus requires steady commitment. Guarding your pace preserves your joy. When you move at God’s rhythm instead of pressure’s pace, peace becomes your companion instead of anxiety.

This is the season where wisdom whispers louder than urgency. You learn that not every open moment requires action and not every quiet space is delay. This quarter is shaping your discernment. You begin to recognize when God is saying “move” and when He is saying “stay.” Both are acts of obedience that you must follow. And you are learning that finishing strong requires breath management, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. God is not trying to drain you; He is teaching you how to last. Remember it is your pace that you are protecting. What you guard now preserves strength for the final stretch ahead of you.

Let’s Pray:

Father God, I thank You for bringing me into this fourth quarter and teaching me how to guard my pace with wisdom. Help me resist the urge to rush decisions out of pressure or fear. Teach me how to move at Your rhythm, not my anxiety. Renew my strength inwardly when my outward energy feels limited. Remind me that You are still working even when I feel tired. Show me where I need to slow down, pause, or release unnecessary burdens. Help me lay aside every weight that drains my endurance. Give me discernment to know when to push forward and when to wait quietly before You. Guard my heart from comparison and impatience. Help me trust that my due season is perfectly timed by You. Teach me how to rest without guilt and work without striving. Let balance become an act of faith. Restore my joy where pressure has tried to steal it. Let peace guide my steps in this quarter. Help me remain obedient even when progress feels slow. Strengthen my resolve to stay faithful to what You have assigned me. Keep my focus forward and my spirit grounded. Do not let distraction or fatigue pull me off course. Thank You for teaching me endurance that lasts, not effort that burns out. I commit my pace, my strength, and my timing fully into Your hands. Lead me wisely through this fourth quarter. Finish Your work in me with grace, patience, and clarity. Let my life reflect trust in You from start to finish. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Nugget: In the fourth quarter, pace is your wisdom and moving at God’s rhythm protects your strength and positions you to finish with clarity and peace!

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean…