As my Hoka Stinsons came down with each stride, they were taking noticeably longer to make contact with the pavement. Weariness definitely played a part, but was not nearly as much a factor as the 2 inches of water that had built up on the road. I had a real dilemma on my hands. I had trained for 10 months to run a sub-4:00 marathon, and this was a crucial moment. It was mile 21 and everything was tired. With perfect weather, I still would have been struggling to stay under 8:45-minute miles down the stretch. But, I hadn’t counted on drenching rains that would soak me all the way through, overwhelming the streets of Baton Rouge and flooding many roads on the LSU campus, where I was running. It was decision time, and I needed something to help me plod on. God seemed to guide me to two different thoughts in an effort to provide some strength. One thought must be saved for a future article. The other came from what might seem to be an obvious source, but not how you would think.

Noah actually came to mind. Yes, he had endured a flood, as well, and that could have been of some comfort. But, he had an ark and lots of time, while I had water-logged running shoes and a very tight deadline. Let me assure you that no motivation came from his boat. While the flood might seem to be the most common thread, there was actually another lesson from Noah that reminded me of a life truth that has to be learned over and over, yet pays dividends every time. Let me explain…

Every time I’ve read through the account of Noah and the flood, something not found in most other biblical texts stands out to me. I am always curious why there is so much detailed chronology provided. That is unusual among Bible stories. At the risk of boring you, let’s look at the account through a modern-day calendar. The rain started on Feb. 17 and lasted for 40 days, stopping on March 29, although the flood waters continued to build. On July 17, the ark rested on Mt. Ararat. By Oct. 1, Noah could see the mountains. On Nov. 10, he opened the windows and sent out a raven, then later a dove. By Jan. 1 of the new year, the face of the earth was dry, but it wasn’t until Feb. 27 that the earth was dry enough for Noah to leave the ark. While their calendar differed from ours, we are given numerous details, enough to get a picture of his time on the ark. Have you ever wondered why?

Noah was on the ark for 375 days, more than a year. He had been told to build the ark and given the timeline for the rain—40 days of rain. After that? He waited. After the rain stopped, he waited another 110 days until the next event, when the ark got lodged on a mountain. What did he do then? He was stuck there another 75 days until he could see other mountains in the distance. Still another 40 days until he could send out some birds. Two more months and he got to remove the roof. Still another two months until he was finally able to leave the ark.

Keep in mind that all that Noah was told in advance involved building the ark and how long it would rain, which would produce the flood. He was told to build an ark, and he did. He was told the rain would start in seven days, and he watched it begin. He was told it would rain 40 days after he was on the ark. It is quite certain that he heard this rain. But, what about after the the rain stopped? He knew nothing about what or when. God had been clear about the 40 days, but was silent about the remaining 335 days. The remaining 335 days might have taken as much faith as the first 40 days. It’s one thing to trust God’s instructions to build the ark, but it’s entirely different to trust Him when you don’t know the next step. In other words, it requires one kind of faith to trust God’s voice, but a whole other form of faith to trust His silence. Noah needed 40-day faith for this story to conclude God’s way, but he also needed “after-40-day faith” to bring about a successful conclusion.

We constantly need reminded that most worthy areas of our lives are easier to start than to finish. Noah’s start was not necessarily easy, but it did come with clear instructions. It was the silence that must have been deafening. After presenting a clear plan, God didn’t speak again for 375 days. Now, that takes faith. The 40 days were a part of God’s plan, but so were the remaining 335 days. It can demand greater faith to trust Him when He isn’t speaking and we can do nothing but wait. But, those times are just as much a part of His plan as the beginning. The beginning is usually exciting, if not scary, and God’s hand is easy to trace. Once that part is over, it is often a completely different pattern of trust. God’s plan is just as real, but not nearly so evident, and that requires faith.

Have you noticed the importance of After-40-Day Faith? It is one thing to hear God’s voice in choosing the right person to marry and going through all the exciting, if tedious, preparations for a wedding. But, after those initial 40 days, the lifelong process of trying to love them the way Christ said to in the beginning sets in. It can be exciting to bring children into this world, but the greater faith might be in those latter years after you’ve tried to raise them the way God said initially, but you can’t really see their heart or discern what’s happening inside. It takes faith to plant a new church, but it takes just as much faith to stay hooked up when you feel you are in a holding pattern. When God speaks to you through something your pastor preached on Sunday, it can take faith to agree with God and make the change. But, Tuesday requires just as much faith as Sunday, maybe more.

It wasn’t how Noah built the ark and handled the deluge of water that helped me finish that marathon on schedule. It was the reminder that he needed as much faith to finish as he did to start. As you look around your life right now, maybe you’re getting a little restless and wondering if anything’s happening. If you started something with 40-day faith, be reminded that you’ll need After-40-day Faith to stay faithful until the end. You may not be drowning, but neither might you be able to see any land. You’re just there. Maybe even feeling stuck. Could it be you’re simply in the middle of After-40-day Faith?

Sometimes, your greatest act of faith isn’t beginning. It is finishing.