Unfinished Business - Lessons 13-20
Several months ago I started a series of blogs titled 20 Years 20 Lessons. The inspiration came from a section in my book “Don’t Give Up” where I share 20 things I’ve learned while being in ministry for over 20 years. My heart was to share one thing a day for 20 days that God had taught me. That didn’t happen...so I tried to write once a week...that didn’t happen...so I tried to write when I could...well I found myself not being able to write. My book was finished, we were in the process of moving, the holiday’s were around the corner and we were dealing with a lot of uncertainties. I had no time to write...and if I’m being honest; I had no desire to write. Eventually I wrote a couple of other things trying to get my passion back but yet again I felt nothing. I hate unfinished business.
Do you have things in your life that are unfinished? Maybe you started a project at home and it’s just sitting there staring at you everyday taunting you, “Are you going to finish me?” The thing is you really want to...you just don’t have the get up and do it that you need. Maybe your unfinished business is an apology to someone. Deep down inside you know you did wrong and you know you need to apologize. As each day passes by you feel the weight of the time passing and you feel it has been too long now and your apology won’t mean as much. Maybe you are like me and a bit OCD. You have unfinished business but unless you can finish it perfectly and just the way you envisioned you are going to put it off until later. What if later never comes? What if we never make time to finish the unfinished things in our lives?
Honestly, if I never finish my blog series it probably won’t make a bit of difference to anyone else. I don’t even know how many people read it. But it might make a difference to one person. I know it will make a difference to me. And if just one person will be blessed because I make a choice to finish then I should finish. I am reminded of Jesus on the cross when He said, “It is finished.” Wow! What if He never said that? What if He never finished what He came to this earth to do? What would that mean for us? I don’t even want to think about it. I praise Him daily for the gift of our salvation and for everything else that comes with that gift.
My silly little blog is not anywhere near as grandiose as Jesus’ sacrifice for us. It is not a comparison by any means but yet those 3 words inspired me today. I don’t like unfinished things, I don’t like things hanging over my head and I don’t like not doing what I said I was going to do. I’ve taken so much from Jesus’ death on the cross over the years and yet when I seek Him longer, harder and deeper a new perspective always comes through. Today “It is finished” took on a new meaning for me. Again...not taking away from the pureness of what He did and what it meant...just inspiration for some things that need to be finished in my own life.
It feels good to be writing again. I praise God for this! I have missed it. There are so many things in my life right now that I feel need to be finished but are beyond my control. So I decided to finish the one thing that I knew I could. My 20 Years 20 Lessons. I’m not going to finish it the way I started either...Haha! I’m going to finish it all at once. The first 12 lessons are in my blog somewhere. Each lesson is titled with a number and then I go into depth about the lesson. I’m not doing it this way today. Here are lessons 13-20. As is. Maybe I’ll be inspired to elaborate in the future...maybe I won’t. But at least I can close this open chapter and say “It is finished”.
I have to say it feels pretty good to have this behind me. I’m not even a little upset that I’m not finishing like I started. Let me encourage you to tackle something today that needs finishing. Maybe it’s the laundry, a sink full of dishes, an old project (you can finish it by throwing it out), an overdue apology, a letter, a belated birthday card. There aren’t any rules on how to finish...just finish. Don’t allow the enemy to hold it over your head any more. Take inspiration from Jesus and all of the things He finished while here on earth. He was our example. Closure is good. It feels good. It also encourages us for future projects, tasks...stuff! Get it done!
Lessons 13-20 in a nutshell...haha!
13-God will never force you to do anything. You still have free will. Use it wisely.
14-Learn to accept and acknowledge when something is your fault. It makes you look wise.
15-If you can’t say something nice...then seriously...stay quiet. Gossip will come back to bite you!
16-Children are a gift from the Lord. Treasure them, nurture them and love them.
17-Your toddler should not be your best friend. Seriously...that is too much responsibility for a three year old.
18-The gift of your time is the most valuable gift you can give.
19-Humility makes you beautiful on the outside.
20-Jesus really does understand everything we have gone through, we are going to go through and we are going through right now.
Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Amen, after 6 months it is finished.
Stay tuned...there is more to come...lots more!
Do you have things in your life that are unfinished? Maybe you started a project at home and it’s just sitting there staring at you everyday taunting you, “Are you going to finish me?” The thing is you really want to...you just don’t have the get up and do it that you need. Maybe your unfinished business is an apology to someone. Deep down inside you know you did wrong and you know you need to apologize. As each day passes by you feel the weight of the time passing and you feel it has been too long now and your apology won’t mean as much. Maybe you are like me and a bit OCD. You have unfinished business but unless you can finish it perfectly and just the way you envisioned you are going to put it off until later. What if later never comes? What if we never make time to finish the unfinished things in our lives?
Honestly, if I never finish my blog series it probably won’t make a bit of difference to anyone else. I don’t even know how many people read it. But it might make a difference to one person. I know it will make a difference to me. And if just one person will be blessed because I make a choice to finish then I should finish. I am reminded of Jesus on the cross when He said, “It is finished.” Wow! What if He never said that? What if He never finished what He came to this earth to do? What would that mean for us? I don’t even want to think about it. I praise Him daily for the gift of our salvation and for everything else that comes with that gift.
My silly little blog is not anywhere near as grandiose as Jesus’ sacrifice for us. It is not a comparison by any means but yet those 3 words inspired me today. I don’t like unfinished things, I don’t like things hanging over my head and I don’t like not doing what I said I was going to do. I’ve taken so much from Jesus’ death on the cross over the years and yet when I seek Him longer, harder and deeper a new perspective always comes through. Today “It is finished” took on a new meaning for me. Again...not taking away from the pureness of what He did and what it meant...just inspiration for some things that need to be finished in my own life.
It feels good to be writing again. I praise God for this! I have missed it. There are so many things in my life right now that I feel need to be finished but are beyond my control. So I decided to finish the one thing that I knew I could. My 20 Years 20 Lessons. I’m not going to finish it the way I started either...Haha! I’m going to finish it all at once. The first 12 lessons are in my blog somewhere. Each lesson is titled with a number and then I go into depth about the lesson. I’m not doing it this way today. Here are lessons 13-20. As is. Maybe I’ll be inspired to elaborate in the future...maybe I won’t. But at least I can close this open chapter and say “It is finished”.
I have to say it feels pretty good to have this behind me. I’m not even a little upset that I’m not finishing like I started. Let me encourage you to tackle something today that needs finishing. Maybe it’s the laundry, a sink full of dishes, an old project (you can finish it by throwing it out), an overdue apology, a letter, a belated birthday card. There aren’t any rules on how to finish...just finish. Don’t allow the enemy to hold it over your head any more. Take inspiration from Jesus and all of the things He finished while here on earth. He was our example. Closure is good. It feels good. It also encourages us for future projects, tasks...stuff! Get it done!
Lessons 13-20 in a nutshell...haha!
13-God will never force you to do anything. You still have free will. Use it wisely.
14-Learn to accept and acknowledge when something is your fault. It makes you look wise.
15-If you can’t say something nice...then seriously...stay quiet. Gossip will come back to bite you!
16-Children are a gift from the Lord. Treasure them, nurture them and love them.
17-Your toddler should not be your best friend. Seriously...that is too much responsibility for a three year old.
18-The gift of your time is the most valuable gift you can give.
19-Humility makes you beautiful on the outside.
20-Jesus really does understand everything we have gone through, we are going to go through and we are going through right now.
Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Amen, after 6 months it is finished.
Stay tuned...there is more to come...lots more!
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