Finish What You Started!
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Gal 6:9-10
Last month, we talked about taking action on your Kingdom-oriented, God-glorifying goals and ideas. Perhaps you finally stopped shouting “aim!” and finally said, “fire!” If I know anything about this process, I know that you likely faced…
• An obstacle
• Disillusionment
• Self-doubt
• Naysayers
• Overwhelm
• The tyranny of “urgent” matters unrelated to your idea or goal
Don’t be discouraged. Understand that as soon you identify a goal, you create the obstacles.
If there are no obstacles in your path its because you aren’t going anywhere! The fact that you met some sort of opposition is simply a sign that you’ve challenged your status quo! Congratulations!
There’s a myth among Christians that if something is not going smoothly or easily then God is not in it. Not so.
The Bible is replete with examples of men who had a God-spoke-to-me-audibly experience yet immediately endured beatings, arrests, political or religious antagonism, logistical problems, etc. in striving to achieve what God had laid out.
The best things in life – especially godly things – don’t come easily. A great marriage, an above-average income, a useful skill, or even intimacy with God – all good things – have obstacles attempting to block their achievement. You’ll be a lot less discouraged and far more productive when you realize this is just part of the process.
You probably don’t remember, but one of the first and hardest goals you set was learning to walk. That certainly didn’t come easily.
There were stumblings and “ouches” and surrenders to gravity, but you didn’t give up. You kept trying in spite of obstacles until you got it. (I wonder why we tend to lose that kind of tenacity as we grow older?)
Now look at all the benefits that your walking skills have brought to your life and to the lives of those you love. Aren’t you glad you hung in there?
Give yourself time and give yourself a break but don’t just give up. Stay in the game until it’s over. Don’t take your ball and go home at the first sign of difficulty.
You need to stay open to wisdom and making needed modifications, but don’t just quit.
See each obstacle as a confirmation that the idea or goal is worthy of being made a reality. It’s valuable because it’s going to cost you something. Valuable means it’s costly. Just determine to pay the price.
And remember, the bigger the idea or goal, the bigger the obstacles, therefore, the greater the cost. It’s going to require a bigger resolve on your part and a greater draw from God’s (limitless) resources on His part for that thing to become manifest.
So resolve to pay the price – in time, planning, effort, resources, education – no matter the obstacles.
In the Scriptures, a literal translation of Jesus’ words would be, “Ask and keep on asking… knock and keep on knocking… seek and keep on seeking…” That’s a good Word for us. Don’t give up.
The farmer keeps tilling, planting, weeding and working because he can operate with a reliable piece of knowledge as to where the process leads. That knowledge? That harvest will come. It always does.
