by Linzy Slayden
Much is written today about motivation. We buy books, CDs, and DVDs; we attend conferences and seminars; we listen to advice on ways to get started and ways to spark initiatives. Plenty of advice is floating around on setting goals, establishing priorities, and developing a game plan. Much of it is insightful and needed. Sometimes we need to be motivated. Sometimes we need a push. Getting started can be a herculean task. Starting well is the beginning, no doubt about it.
But let’s consider the opposite end for a change. Not much is written or said about finishing well. Let’s talk about the virtues of sticking with something until it’s done; of hanging tough when the excitement and fun fade into discipline and guts. It seems our attention span is conditioned by 30-second commercials and half-hour sitcoms. I observe a generation that has come dangerously near the “I’m-getting-tired-so-let’s-quit” mentality. This is true in so many realms. We see it all the time in relationships and responsibilities. We also see it in the spiritual realm as well as the physical realm. Millions of people make decisions for Christ — but where are they after the decision? After the Christian life loses its novelty, it’s often discarded like a toy. There is a great market for religious experience, but little enthusiasm for the acquisition of virtue, character, godliness, and hard work. We need to be reminded that the Christian life is a marathon, not a 100-yard dash.
Remember what Paul said — “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Paul urged Christians not only to start well, but to finish well! So many start the Christian life like a lightning flash — hot, fast, and dazzling, and lasting just about as long. It is sad that we all know people like this. But it is not God’s will! He wants us to finish the course — not simply start it. We turn a deaf ear to the Master’s encouraging words and listen wholeheartedly to the devil who specializes in helping half-hearted, half-committed people feel comfortable. The bottom line is this: Jesus Christ did not bathe this world in his blood for us to serve the world, the flesh, and the devil. We are bought with a price. We are not our own. We belong to him.
Am I writing to someone who needs some discipline? Am I writing to someone who is weary, discouraged, frustrated, and beginning to wonder if it’s worth it? Let me encourage you — God is still on the throne. No matter what comes out of Washington D.C., no matter what church issue you are facing, no matter what financial challenges you are facing, He is in control. Don’t quit! We are involved in the greatest work in the world! Let’s finish well to the glory of God!