The Aggravations of an Unfinished Life

"For we walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

2 Corinthians 129

I am the queen of unfinished projects.  I have more ideas and starts than I have finishes.  One of my goals, now that I am "retired", is to limit the number of new projects until I have completed many of the previous works in progress.  It is a worthy goal and yet daunting at times. There always seems to be distractions that get in the way.

It is also a great aggravation, and sometimes a not so gentle reminder to be gracious with others and myself. We are all "works in progress."

As I was musing over this, the thought came to me, Jesus knew His task when He came to earth, and when it was complete.  How satisfying it must have been for Him to utter the words "It is finished." (John 19:30)

I don't know about you, but there are times I feel as though I am trudging through mud as I press forward trying to accomplish the tasks the Lord has given me.  Set backs, and a twisting upward journey can be exhausting. Thank God for the Scriptures that remind me that I am walking a well worn path that many before me have traveled, and the prize at the end of the journey is far greater than any struggle I may encounter along the way. I love the reminders that the Lord is faithful and will never leave or forsake us. I am encouraged again and again to press on with perseverance. This is just a part of the journey, not the whole. I want to be able to say as Paul said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race. I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7) This was a man who had experienced many difficulties in his journey with the Lord, and yet he didn't allow them to become distractions to the task he'd been given.

So as I come to the completion of this piece, I want to encourage you as I have been encouraged by the Lord in writing it.  Don't let the temporal distract you from of the eternal. There is a purpose and a plan in everything the Lord does, and we can trust the path He has assigned each one of us. Do your best each day to do what He has called you to do, being certain to stay centered in the palm of His hand and well versed in His word.  We have been given the task of sharing the glorious truth of the love of Jesus Christ.

He went before us and showed us they way home to the Father.

We can follow confidently in His footsteps and trust Him every step of the way.

May He be glorified in all we say and do.