Finish What You Start
A confession...
I was ready to post that I was done with my cleanse. Ready to move on. Burnt out. I wasn't going to "throw in the towel", but I was going to take a break. Okay, so maybe I was throwing in the towel. Sort of.
Then, I read this...
Finish What You Start
"'My food,' said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.'" John 4:34 (NIV)
I excel at starting projects. Especially those that include a trip to the office supply store, where I can stock up on new notebooks, file folders and pens. Optimism abounds at the beginning of something new. Then reality hits.
What seemed fun at first is actually hard work. Discouragement sets in. Perfectionist tendencies stifle moving forward. And it's easy to give up rather than finish what I start.
One of my problems is a lack of focus. There's so much I want to do that my thoughts are often scattered. I allow myself to be pulled in multiple directions, intrigued by the possibilities of a new and exciting project. Plus, sometimes I do things just because I can. This approach often leaves me with a to-do list that's seriously un-doable.
Finishing well requires discipline that doesn't come naturally. But it's key to living a life that's manageable and reflects God's priorities for me. So while my shelves include books on time management and productivity, the best role model of finishing well is Jesus.
Jesus is the picture of focus and discipline, especially in the midst of many people demanding His attention. In the book of John we read a story about Jesus sitting by a well while His disciples went for food. As He waited, a solitary woman came to draw water and Jesus engaged her in a life-changing conversation-not only for her but for her entire village.
On this day, Jesus could have pleaded exhaustion or frustration. He'd been traveling, it was warm, and He was hungry. One of those challenges would have been enough to derail me. Instead Jesus narrowed His focus on one woman and finished the assignment God gave Him.
After reuniting with His disciples, they tried to get Jesus to eat. He responded: "'My food,' said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.'" (John 4:34 NIV)
Jesus knew what His Father had asked Him to do and was committed to "finish" this work. In this passage, Jesus models clarity of purpose, perseverance and compassion; all characteristics I want.
If you feel like you are always starting things and never finishing, perhaps it would help to focus on only one or two things God is calling you to today. Don't try and tackle everything at once. Ask God for His priorities for your life, and concentrate on doing your best in those areas.
Changing life-long patterns of not finishing things will take time. I've learned when I submit my overwhelmed feelings to God, He gives me strength to persevere.
Dear Lord, thank You for forgiving me when I fall short. Help me be like Jesus and be focused on Your will and work. Show me Your priorities for my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Reflect and Respond:
Is there something you know God wants you to do, but you haven't done it? What is it?
Identify one or two areas that you believe God wants you to focus on this year. Ask God to help you align all areas of your life with His priorities for you.
Power Verses:
Hebrews 10:35-36, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (NIV)
James 1:2-4, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (NAS)
I was ready to post that I was done with my cleanse. Ready to move on. Burnt out. I wasn't going to "throw in the towel", but I was going to take a break. Okay, so maybe I was throwing in the towel. Sort of.
Then, I read this...
Finish What You Start
"'My food,' said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.'" John 4:34 (NIV)
I excel at starting projects. Especially those that include a trip to the office supply store, where I can stock up on new notebooks, file folders and pens. Optimism abounds at the beginning of something new. Then reality hits.
What seemed fun at first is actually hard work. Discouragement sets in. Perfectionist tendencies stifle moving forward. And it's easy to give up rather than finish what I start.
One of my problems is a lack of focus. There's so much I want to do that my thoughts are often scattered. I allow myself to be pulled in multiple directions, intrigued by the possibilities of a new and exciting project. Plus, sometimes I do things just because I can. This approach often leaves me with a to-do list that's seriously un-doable.
Finishing well requires discipline that doesn't come naturally. But it's key to living a life that's manageable and reflects God's priorities for me. So while my shelves include books on time management and productivity, the best role model of finishing well is Jesus.
Jesus is the picture of focus and discipline, especially in the midst of many people demanding His attention. In the book of John we read a story about Jesus sitting by a well while His disciples went for food. As He waited, a solitary woman came to draw water and Jesus engaged her in a life-changing conversation-not only for her but for her entire village.
On this day, Jesus could have pleaded exhaustion or frustration. He'd been traveling, it was warm, and He was hungry. One of those challenges would have been enough to derail me. Instead Jesus narrowed His focus on one woman and finished the assignment God gave Him.
After reuniting with His disciples, they tried to get Jesus to eat. He responded: "'My food,' said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.'" (John 4:34 NIV)
Jesus knew what His Father had asked Him to do and was committed to "finish" this work. In this passage, Jesus models clarity of purpose, perseverance and compassion; all characteristics I want.
If you feel like you are always starting things and never finishing, perhaps it would help to focus on only one or two things God is calling you to today. Don't try and tackle everything at once. Ask God for His priorities for your life, and concentrate on doing your best in those areas.
Changing life-long patterns of not finishing things will take time. I've learned when I submit my overwhelmed feelings to God, He gives me strength to persevere.
Dear Lord, thank You for forgiving me when I fall short. Help me be like Jesus and be focused on Your will and work. Show me Your priorities for my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Reflect and Respond:
Is there something you know God wants you to do, but you haven't done it? What is it?
Identify one or two areas that you believe God wants you to focus on this year. Ask God to help you align all areas of your life with His priorities for you.
Power Verses:
Hebrews 10:35-36, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (NIV)
James 1:2-4, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (NAS)
This devotional spoke to me in so many ways! Not only did it speak to me in regards to my diet, but in so many areas of my life! I am notorious for starting something and then stopping because things get hard. It is pretty much the story of my life, in some ways. I'm not proud of that. I tend to bite off more than I can chew. I am getting better at saying "no", but I still tend to take on more responsibilities than I can handle. I need to be sure to ask God how he wants me to spend my time and energy and not take on roles and projects for selfish reasons, or because I fear telling someone no. This is a work in progress. As school is starting, it's a great reminder. I will have the opportunity to help with or lead in many different areas with school and Church. I must be sure to ask God's guidance in which roles I take on. I don't want to take on so many new things that I can't give them my best and feel tempted to quit. I want to be able to give 100% of myself to everything God has called me to do.
Today, the "hard" thing I am dealing with is losing weight, reaching a goal. I want to quit because it's easy to quit. I want to put off finishing what I started until next week, or the next. We all know where that gets us, though.
So, needless to say, I have reconsidered quitting the cleanse a few days early.
My goal was to lose 10 pounds and I have only lost 6. I must finish what I started. Too often, I quit when things get boring, hard or seen impossible. Not this time. I will lose those 10 pounds! My 30 Day cleanse is over tomorrow. If you have been reading my posts, though, you know I took a day here and there off. I also cheated a little this weekend. Chips and salsa were calling my name! (Not proud this morning.)
So, here is the plan. I may switch things up a bit with my diet (add some whole grains here and there), start counting calories (I know I have been eating too many), and allow myself a "cheat day" on the weekend. I need something to look forward to during the week. I am also going to kick up the cardio BIG TIME! I need to burn more calories! I am hoping these changes will help me reach my goal as well as provide a fresh motivation for me!
I am not going to blog about it every day, though. I am a little tired of doing that. I will do a post dedicated to my weight loss/health once a week for accountability purposes. The 2 people reading my blog help keep me in line! ;) I know they are dying to know what I ate or didn't eat every day! It's the highlight of their day! ;)
So, moving forward. I WILL finish what I started!
Side note...A friend sent me a text with a picture of her protein shake this morning. She said, "Cheers to Day 1!". That is awesome! That, right there, made me want to get back in the game and finish this race! Thanks for sending that, Christine! The timing was perfect! :)
Side note...A friend sent me a text with a picture of her protein shake this morning. She said, "Cheers to Day 1!". That is awesome! That, right there, made me want to get back in the game and finish this race! Thanks for sending that, Christine! The timing was perfect! :)
You CAN do it! Thanks for all the tips and encouragement! I already feel better! I'm sure once I hit day 20 or so, I'll need to come back and re-read this to make sure I finish what I started :).
ReplyDelete~Christine