Challenge: The Art of Completion
How many of us have made grande plans to make that scrapbook, clean out the garage, lose 20 pounds, read that book, or have had a thousand other project ideas only to get distracted or lose motivation halfway through and never get to the end result?? It happens more than we’d probably like to admit. I have a little pile of books on my end table right now that I’ve made it over halfway through but just can’t quite seem to finish, and the pile is growing…
There is something unsettling about unfinished projects.
Do you know what else is still an “unfinished project”? YOU. And ME. But Jesus is faithful and He leads by example:
“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus!” Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
The Lord is working in us, and will not stop until the process is brought to completion because HE IS FAITHFUL. What a wonderful, marvelous truth! He IS love. He IS joy. He IS self-control/discipline, and all the rest! He is, and has, all of these spiritual qualities and He desires to sow them in us. Not only is He conforming us to the image of His son, but He is daily working to grow the fruit of the spirit in us as we choose to keep running after Christ.
There is a reason why discipline/self-control is a fruit of the spirit: The Lord wants to train and grow in us the perseverance and character to not only start a good thing but to finish a good thing. And above that, to strive after Him and after godliness until it has its completed work!
With this final week of the vision20project, let’s be mindful to complete what we have started. Let’s finish strong and finish with expectation for what the Lord has next for us. Just as a runner trains for more than one race, remember that this is not “The End.” It’s one race (marathon really) and there are more to come. Enjoy the hard work that you have put in during these twenty weeks and soar across that finish line.
And remember: The best is yet to come!
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