Finishing What You Started

Introduction

The letters of 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus, were written towards the end of Paul’s life and ministry. You could see them as a collection of Paul’s life and ministry lessons  that he wants to pass on to his proteges and co-workers in Ephesus and Crete.  They address some of the challenges faced by early believers in growing new churches. They also offer timeless wisdom for all Christians, not just pastors.   Some of the timeless themes in the pastoral letters include:

• Good Leadership
• Godly Character
• Sound Teaching
• Church organization
• Generous Giving
• Passing the Baton
• Endurance and Faithfulness

Finishing What You Started

In this study we want to look at a related theme that was very important to Paul, that of finishing what he started.  Paul's life is a testament to commitment. Despite many hardships, he remained dedicated to his mission of taking the good news of Jesus to the Gentiles.  He also seems at the end of his life to be confident he had finished the task God gave him. In his final letter to Timothy, he says: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).  Paul was confident he had finished well, and he wants others to follow his example of finishing the tasks assigned. In Colossians 4:17 he encourages Archippus to “complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”  And in 2 Timothy 4:5 he reminds this younger leader at Ephesus to “discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

Finishing Well

But there is an apparent paradox in Paul’s confident declaration he had finished the race.  We are told in Paul’s earlier letter to the Christians in Rome that his ultimate plan in coming to their city was to go on to Spain (Romans 16:24).  In his mind, Rome was just a staging post for a longer journey to Spain at the very opposite edges of Roman empire.   So there is a sense in which he never finished what he started. He never reached Spain.

Yet Paul still believed towards the end of his life in a Roman prison that he had finished the task God had assigned him.   Sometimes the end we had in mind is not what happens. But finishing well does not necessarily mean finishing the goal we originally intended.  Finishing well is different to finishing what you started.

We can see something similar in the lives of several biblical characters.

• Peter was called to follow Jesus and “fish” for people, he ended up being a “shepherd” of the church.
• Gideon was a winemaker who became a reluctant warrior. 
• Moses was a failed Egyptian leader, then a wilderness shepherd, but God called him back to Egypt to lead his people out of Egypt.
• Jonah never wanted to go to Ninevah. 
• And Paul never meant to end his life ministry in Rome.

Each faced significant detours and challenges but fulfilled God's purpose. The problems they encountered helped guide them towards God’s purpose in their life.  And their stories show that while our plans may change, we can still finish well.

Practices for Finishing Well When Goals are Blocked.

• Turn it into a Prayer. A starting point in making this shift is to turn the life principle of finishing what you started into a prayer.  Rather than asking ourselves how to finish what we started, ask God “How can I finish what you started?”
• Discern the Learning Purpose: When faced with blocked goals, we can also focus on discovering what we can learn rather than what was achieved.  We can ask God, “What can I learn from this situation?” 
• Turn the Why into a What: A helpful way to do this is to change our question from a why into a what.  Instead of "Why is this happening?" ask, "What can God teach me through this?"
• Discover Your SHAPE: We can use the SHAPE framework to explore how God is shaping and equipping us for his purposes when we are unsure of direction. SHAPE is an acronym that can be helpful in determining how our gifts and abilities intersect with other aspects of who we are.
  
  S is for Spiritual gifts
  H for Heart passion
  A for Abilities
  P for Personality
  E for Experiences
  
  At CityLife we regularly run a SHAPE course that explores each of these aspects of our lives.  That can be helpful in aligning our goals with the way God has shaped us.
• Distinguish Between Base and Phase: There are temporary phases in life which stretch us, enable us to learn different skills, and develop Godly character.  But we may discover that some of these phases are just for a season. As we learn and grow, we need to progressively discern our basic shape and recognise the seasons of life when we are operating from that base.
• The "grandparenting perspective." Some of the goals we pursue may not be for us to complete.  There are tasks and dreams we need to hand on to others. Paul entrusted his teachings to Timothy and others, and he encouraged them to also pass on these life lesson to others (2 Tim 2:2).  That is what I call a “grandparenting perspective.”  But it is also a mindset we can embrace at any age.   We may not finish what we started, but we can finish our part well, and then pass the mission on to others.  Paul never reached Spain, but others did.

Conclusion

Finishing well is about aligning our goals with God's purpose and being open to adapting our plans as we face challenges. Sometimes we may not be able to finish what we started despite our best efforts.  However, we can always finish well. Despite not reaching all our destinations, we can fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith just as Paul did.  We can trust in God’s faithfulness; and that he who began a good work in us will complete it.

Discussion Questions

• Share about a time when you were not able to finish what you started.
• What strategies helped you stay motivated and redirect your focus?
• In what ways can personal setbacks serve as opportunities for growth and redirection?
• How can we discern whether to persist in a blocked goal or redefine objectives?
• What role do others play in helping us finish well?
• What other practices can we adopt to help re-evaluate our life direction and priorities?
• How can we apply the "grandparenting perspective" in our own lives and ministries?