Early mornings. Late nights. Hours of reading, preparing, presenting, analyzing, studying, contemplating, and finishing. Anxiety. Joy. Insecurity. Knowledge. Pride. Humility. Overwhelmed. Sincerely changed. Blessed. Finished.
The morning alarm sounds–it’s dark outside and the house is quiet. It’s seminary day. Coffee pot started…bag packed…snack stowed away…off to Dallas. The drive or train-ride from Denton is long, but it has become comforting. The traffic. The busy lives whirling by on I-35, and my journey is just beginning. You see, six years ago I started down a path–a journey–of formal biblical training. Previously, the idea of seminary was just a dream. The reason being was that I was full-steam ahead in a professional career. I had already finished extended education in my particular corporate field, and was officially plowing the ground in the financial industry. But that all changed in 2012. After years of considering a new direction, I ventured into the unknown–family-in-tow.
If you’re like me, you like to start, but can find it sometimes difficult to finish. The path gets long…it gets hard…and you begin to wonder, “Is this worth it?” That’s the story of our lives–we’re human.
Seminary was just that for me. What began with vim, vigor, and vitality twisted in to ardor, pain, and doubt. From the hours of Greek study, the hours of Hebrew memorization, the papers, the books, the articles, the exams, and the quizzes, I grew weary. It didn’t happen all at once, but it happened nevertheless. And I almost cut the program I began (ThM) short. But, there were other factors at play. You see, I was going to finish this degree, but it would required catalysts to make it happen.
Have you been there? You’ve started down a path, and then you realized it was much harder than you imagined–and you then wanted to quit? Maybe you’re there right now. What are the catalysts that can help you through? Maybe you did quit. You reached a breaking point, and you let it go. No doubt, there is wisdom in knowing when to turn your attention elsewhere. It could be health issues. It could be relationship issues. It could be financial issues. It could be a host of other issues that truly do justify throwing in the towel and walking away. Furthermore, even if you wanted to go back and give it a go again, it may be that there is also no possibility of ever being able to pick up where you left off and trying. Those are real situations faced everyday. And to the person in that situation my advice is to let water flow under the bridge. Move on, learn from those situations, BUT aim to do things differently next time. It may mean not starting or not giving your word. Either way, learn from those scenarios in so much as it steadies you for future commitments.
But, to the other person. The person that is in the throws of committing and trying to finish something…maybe you’re finding it’s hard, and you’re wanting to walk away? Or, you can go back and pick up where you left off–relationally, educationally, professionally, etc. Let me tell you to stay in there–or go back and pick it up again. Unless there is truly a financial, health, relational, etc. issue that truly does require your new and undivided attention, stay in there. FINISH! Finish the course. Finish the race. Finish the journey. Yes, it’s hard, but it’s worth the effort. You’re laying a foundation for finishing that will carry you the rest of your life. If you commit, you finish. I was there. I wanted to throw in the towel many times. Raising three daughters, in full-time ministry, being a husband to my wife, and on and on. I just about used everything to justify cutting the journey short. But I had given my commitment to this program, and despite my pain it was going to be seen to completion. However, there were several catalysts that made it possible–without which I don’t think I would have finished as well as I did.
What are the CATAYLSTS to finishing well what we start?
- Resolve.
- What motivates this is perspective–being able to see the commitment as a whole, as well as in parts. Imagine that you’re at your local town’s parade. All the floats are starting to make their way through the town-center. There are two perspectives you need to maintain: (1) you have your little spot at the corner of a street, and you’re able to see each individual detail of every float go by, as well as (2) you get lifted above the parade in a hot air balloon, and are able to see and watch every float from start to finish at the same time. Having both a granular, as well as holistic perspective will give you resolve. You must be able to live in the details, but at times see the whole thing and the end–the finish line.
- This is accomplished through reflection to find and renew your purpose. Personally, I would go to a local greenbelt and get in nature. I’d walk or run through the God-made stuff (instead of the man-made stuff) and realize how blessed, fortunate, and small I really am. Your purpose will be defined, renewed, and revitalized. It will take time, but give yourself that space for reflection.
- What motivates this is perspective–being able to see the commitment as a whole, as well as in parts. Imagine that you’re at your local town’s parade. All the floats are starting to make their way through the town-center. There are two perspectives you need to maintain: (1) you have your little spot at the corner of a street, and you’re able to see each individual detail of every float go by, as well as (2) you get lifted above the parade in a hot air balloon, and are able to see and watch every float from start to finish at the same time. Having both a granular, as well as holistic perspective will give you resolve. You must be able to live in the details, but at times see the whole thing and the end–the finish line.
- Accountability.
- What motivates this is humility–being willing to let someone else speak into your life. Someone who really and truly knows your financial situation, your relational situations, as well as your health situations, etc. This person or these people will give you an angle into your context and environment that you cannot see. You need this in order to finish.
- This is accomplished by inviting people into your life. If you’re married, then your spouse is this person primarily. He/she knows you better than anyone else, they love you, and they want what’s best for you and your family. My wife talked me off the cliff of quitting more times that I can count. She was invited into the conversations, the contemplations, and the prayer. She kept me accountable.
- What motivates this is humility–being willing to let someone else speak into your life. Someone who really and truly knows your financial situation, your relational situations, as well as your health situations, etc. This person or these people will give you an angle into your context and environment that you cannot see. You need this in order to finish.
- Consistency.
- What motivates this is order–being disciplined enough to go minute-by-minute or day-by-day in order to accomplish the tasks in front of you. Every personality is different, but each thrive in order. Some find order hard to come by, and others come by it naturally. However, every human grows and enjoys order. We do, because we’re made in the image of God. God is a God of order, and when we are consistent because we are disciplined, we live out a characteristic of God and enjoy the benefits.
- This is accomplished by scheduling or telling your life what you should do. Winging it, flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, hoping for the best without planning only goes so far, and often leads to quitting earlier than expected. You have to plan your days–at some level, until you are able to function in a consistent manner. For me, this was determining my non-negotiables. In other words, what were the primary things that I will not wing-it on? Once those were determined, I stayed consistent. Of course I failed at times. In fact, in different seasons I failed at being consistent more than others, but I nevertheless came back at it–and that’s being consistent too.
- What motivates this is order–being disciplined enough to go minute-by-minute or day-by-day in order to accomplish the tasks in front of you. Every personality is different, but each thrive in order. Some find order hard to come by, and others come by it naturally. However, every human grows and enjoys order. We do, because we’re made in the image of God. God is a God of order, and when we are consistent because we are disciplined, we live out a characteristic of God and enjoy the benefits.
Press on. Keep going. Don’t quit. It’s worth the effort. It’s worth the battle. It’s worth the struggle. Begin today–fresh–by finishing what you start. Begin in the small things, and move on to the bigger ones. It’s there where you find that the taste of finishing is much greater than the taste of beginning. The reason? You’re not the same. You’ve changed, and you’re better for it. FINISH.
“Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”
Ecclesiastes 7:8
As of April 26th, all my official responsibilities, obligations, examinations, and evaluations were completed. I turned in my last paper, I read my last article, and I drove home. Now, I await the ceremonies to commemorate a Master of Theology (ThM) upcoming on May 12th. God gave and gives strength and grace in weakness. And, yes, I was weak, but I found His strength sufficient. Now, I rejoice, because I finished. I give Him glory, because finishing does not define me, but enables me to see His power manifested and completed. It reminds me that He too will finish what He began in me.
Glory. We finish, because we emulate the Finisher! Amen and amen!
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:6
— April 27, 2018