Finish What You Start

​How often do we get excited and passionate about a vision, idea, or project but then quickly lose interest and forget about the whole thing?  Or, how many times do you commit yourself to something but then after more thought back out?
 
I’ve been there, done that.  There have been projects and ideas that I’ve been so excited about but then never bring them to fruition.  Life happens.  We get busy.  And before we know it, we never finished that great idea or fulfilled all our commitments.  

This is not good!  As Christians, we ought to be known as dependable people who finish what they start.  But we’re not alone in this struggle.  The Corinthians also had problems with following through with their commitment, and Paul a strong exhortation about this that is applicable to us today.

“And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.”
~II Corinthians 8:10-11​

​Remember, the context of this passage is giving.  So here, Paul is referring to their intentions of giving to the Lord’s work.  The Corinthians started to give and were excited about giving, but then issues arose in the church and they got distracted by the doctrines of false teachers.  But now that all those issues have been sorted out, Paul is encouraging them to finish what they started and finish it well.
 
This is an important word for us.  While Paul was specifically speaking about giving, we can apply this to various aspects of our lives.  As we’ve already discussed, we have a tendency to get excited about a project or idea but then quickly lose interest.  While this is okay when considering a home improvement project, it doesn’t work when the Holy Spirit speaks to our heart about something and we don’t finish it.  It is better for us to finish what we started when it comes to acts of service for God. 
 
Giving is one of many different kinds of ways we can serve God.  It was the area in which the Corinthians needed to complete what they had started, but we might have different areas that we need to exercise faithfulness in.  Maybe we need to fulfill our intention of visiting an orphan or widow in need.  Maybe God’s laid it on our hearts to volunteer at the local rescue mission, but we haven’t done it yet.  Or maybe the Holy Spirit has brought to mind a friend or leader that we should pray for, but we have not yet prayed for them.  Whatever it is that God is calling you to do, finish it well and continue what you start.  For in this God is well pleased.
 
So what do you need to get back to work on?