It’s hard to believe we are approaching the end of another year and another decade! What a complete blessing! This is the time of year that we begin forward thinking and setting intentions for the next year. However, I would like to challenge you to begin with the end in mind and develop “Faith for the Finish”!
When we begin any new endeavor, we usually begin strong. Think back to when you made the decision to get in shape or lose weight. The passion for and commitment to your goal was foremost in your heart. Then, life happens. Family obligations, work commitments, or even our own self doubt slows our progress. However, when we reach the point where we are feeling like we are pedaling backwards, it is time to find “Faith for the Finish”.
In order to find faith for the finish you must first, remember why you started your new endeavor in the first place. What was your motivation? Is your motivation still the same? Asking yourself these important questions can reveal a lot about your progress.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Therefore, we have to understand how faith works in order to get what we have hoped for. Romans 10:17 ESV says, “So faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ.” What you hear, determines what you have faith for. Are you hearing faith based messages about your goals?
Having faith for the finish also requires that you have focus. When we allow distractions to come in they take us away from our goals. Matthew 14:29-31 tells us the story of Peter walking on water.
“Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Peter was walking on water until he got distracted and lost sight of his goal. Don’t let the size of your goal scare you. If we keep our eyes on Jesus he will enable us to accomplish what we have started.
Finishing what you started not only builds your confidence, it also sets you up for your next victory as well. Pastor A. R. Bernard of Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, NY always shares that “we live life on levels and we arrive in stages”. In order to reach our next goal we have to build on what we have finished in the past. Faith comes from finishing and finishing builds your faith.
What are you trying to finish? Is it a weight loss goal, a professional goal, or a family goal? Whatever it is, remember that faith is an action word. It is the evidence of things we don’t see. However, if we keep our eyes on God, we will see more than we could imagine or think.
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