Finish:
to complete; to refine; to arrive. Starting a task has never been an issue for
me. Perhaps that’s because the only possibility
was to improve from my current standings.
On the other hand, finishing can be quite a daunting endeavor, and may
include obstacles and hardships that I never intended to face. I can remember as a young child, I’d play
games with my brothers and the second I started to lose I would say, “I
quit!” As I’ve grown older, I’ve
realized that the same childish attitude I possessed during those games is
still my natural tendency when the cost of obstacles seemingly begin to
outweigh the goal of the finish line.
God never promised that the things He asks of me will be
easy, rather He stated that through HIM, I am a conqueror because of His great love which will bring me
through (Romans 8:37.) One time I
remember feeling led to pray over a girl for healing. However, I’d never met this girl before, nor
did I feel comfortable doing so. Despite
my feelings, I pushed myself to do it, and words beyond my own wisdom came out
of my mouth. I realized something: God will give me the strength I need to
finish His work. I simply need to take
action. This is something I find I must
constantly remind myself because it’s so easy to get caught up in worldly views
of self-empowerment, when ultimately my strength to finish doesn’t have to come
from me; but from HIM.
A couple years prior to my example above, I was at a
point where I had stopped working towards the finish line. I’ve been a
Christian for as long as I can remember, but about five years ago I recall
feeling spiritually stuck; like I wasn’t moving forward at all. If anything, I was moving backward. I began to wonder why God wasn’t bringing me
out of the rut I was in. In all honesty,
I had reached a point of complacency.
Sure, God was challenging me to do new things; but not things I wanted
to do! For some reason, He wasn’t
getting closer to me! Little did I know that it was my responsibility to grow,
and being complacent was simply not an option.
Finally one day in church, a simple message about Bible
reading and prayer caught my attention. As
basic of a sermon it was, it made me realize that I wasn’t actively pursuing
God like I should have been. God is
there to carry my burdens, but I have to seek Him to find Him! I made a decision that day (which still
stands true): I choose to run to the
finish line. Sure, I could probably
still get into heaven by remaining where I’m at right now. In the same sense, I could also walk to a
finish line. But why? Finishing is more than just scraping by; it’s
a journey which leads to an arrival.
Sure enough,
this decision ensured obstacles, discomfort, and pain. Just like running, the battles only got stronger
as I went further along. My decision, although rewarding, definitely impacted
my relationships with others. As I
became more vocal about my relationship with God, people often treated me
differently or tagged me as “weird.” Many friends of mine had difficulty
understanding why I became “so religious,” and often questioned or mocked my
decisions that went against the “norms” of society. I was also faced with fear and discomfort as
God led me to serve in ways beyond my own capabilities. For example, I
distinctly remember God pushing me to speak up in a situation with some friends
of mine. It was awkward and distressing
at the time, but little experiences like this reminded me of God’s power,
peace, and comfort. Perhaps it was my age, or perhaps God gave me strength I
needed; nonetheless, I began to realize that obstacles are inevitable, but the
finish line is well worth the fight.
I look forward to the day when I finally do reach the
finish line. Although the journey there is the main focus, the reward is the
icing on the cake. I cannot fathom what will
come beyond the finish line; but I know this: It’s something worth running
towards. The obstacles I have faced, and
the trials to come are simply attacks of the enemy meant to lead me astray. As John 16:33 states, “In this world you will
have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!” Although finishing isn’t always the easiest
option, it is unquestionably the most rewarding. And when that day comes, I will not walk
through the finish line; I will run; run to the One who carried me through it
all.
-Tamara
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