You Have to Finish to 'Finish Well'!

In this Finishing Well UPGRADE, Dawn examines some of the ways we can obey God to finish well, and also why we may not finish projects or accomplish goals.

Many Christians are familiar with the parable of the talents (bags of gold) in Matthew 25:14-30. Jesus told a story about two faithful servants who were good stewards of what they had been given, increasing their master's wealth. Their master praised them, saying (vv. 21 and 23), "Well done, good and faithful servant."

For many years I've heard sermons and conference messages about how wonderful it will be to hear Jesus say that to believers for their stewardship on earth.

But the thought hit me recently, "You have to actually finish in order to 'finish well.'" I'll address that later in this post.

But first, What hinders us from finishing well?

I think the biggest hindrance to our finishing well is a matter of obedience.

When God makes clear to us a command, a responsibility, or some other point of action, we need to obey. My favorite evangelist, Del Fehsenfeld, Jr., said, "Obedience is doing exactly what God says, when He says it, with a happy face."

Obey completely, immediately, and with the right heart attitude.

So why, when God makes it clear He wants us to do something, do we lag behind—or worse, fail to move into action.

In Psalm 119, chapter one, I see at least three ways we fail in our goal of finishing well.

1. We fail to Submit to God's Word (Psalm 119:1-2a, 4)

The psalmist says,

"Blessed (happy) are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are those who keep his statutes . . . You have laid down precepts that are to fully obeyed."

God gives us commands, instructions, and rules guiding behavior. When we are not diligent to submit God and His Word, it will be harder to and keep His laws, statutes, and precepts—the responsibilities He places upon His people.

We can be in utter rebellion against something we read in the Bible, or subtly resisting it.

The devil doesn't care which it is.

Finishing well requires that we yield to the Word of God, and allow the Holy Spirit to use the Word to teach, guide, and correct us.

2. We Fail to Seek God with Our Whole Heart (Psalm 119:2b)

The psalmist tells readers to seek God "with all their heart," not part of it.

Partial, unenthusiastic love leads to partial, unenthusiastic obedience.

Deuteronomy 6:5 exhorts us to love God with ALL our heart, soul, and strength. No room for half-hearted love there.

Loving God extravagantly is how we obey Him "with a happy face."

Perhaps our lack of genuine love for God comes from not recognizing Him as the "first love" of our lives. We forget what it was like to be a new believer and our pledge to follow Jesus anywhere and obey Him in all things.

Truly loving God motivates us to want to obey Him. 

"Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always" (Deuterionomy 11:1).

Finishing well is more than doing all the right things; it is being right with God—in a vital, loving relationship with Him.

3. We Fail to Walk in God's Ways (Psalm 119:3)

The psalmist says of those who are blessed, 

". . . they do no wrong but follow his ways."

Our many sins hinder us from obeying God completely and immediately: selfishness, pride, fear, unbelief, giving in to ungodly peer pressure, love of people rather than God, greed and coventousness, anger, lust, etc.

King Saul disobeyed God because he was "afraid" of what people might say (1 Samuel 15:1-3, 12-29), and it cost him his kingdom. He did not finish well.

Finishing well requires the desire to walk with God in purity, and persistence in keeping short accounts with God concerning our sin.

The Goal is to Obediently, Faithfully Finish!

Certainly God can redirect us to new goals—which might include abandoning old ones.

And some people die before "finishing" their goals; but God weighs our success in terms of obedience and faithfulness to His goals for us.

But here's a practical point to ponder. In a November 22, 2021, motivational podcast "Finish More Goals by Asking 1 Surprising Question," Jon Acuff, author of Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done, said if we are not finishing our goals, we should ask,

"What am I getting out of NOT finishing?"

He explored three possible responses (summarized here):

• By not finishing, we control the outcome.
• By not finishing, we get praise for being a martyr, for being noble.
• By not finishing, we have lowered expectations from others—rather than building up a reputation of faithfulness and success that we have to live up to.

I have seen all three of those responses activated at certain points in my own life. Even worse, sometimes I don't even begin because of fear of failing or fear of others' opinions.

Acuff said,

"If what you gain by not finishing is greater than what you get out of finishing, you'll always be stuck."

If we are going to finish well—especially in the spiritual realm—we need to obediently begin and faithfully finish what God has asked us to do, regardless of our own fears and inadequacies, regardless of others' opinions, and regardless of the consequences.

To summarize, we finish well by loving and submitting to God and His Word, and then walking in His ways—keeping in mind that we can not only hear the Father's "well done," but there are also crowns to be won!

What is keeping you from finishing well? What is keeping you from finishing at all—or even not beginning? What can you do, starting today, to change that?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She works part time at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and they have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Joshua Hoehne at Unsplash.

Colliding with My Destiny from God

Joanie Shawhan's ministry reflects who she is—an optimist, wise, secure in her relationship with God, and reaching out to others in need. In this Discernment UPGRADE, she shares about her health crisis and offers encouraging words for those who wonder how to go forward in their own tough circumstance."A crisis of any kind," Joanie says, "is an unwelcome intrusion upon my very well-orchestrated plans."

Oh, I (Dawn) identify with that! But I also identify with what Joanie discovered: the "intrusion" is often God's "motivation" for fresh and meaningful ministry.

Joanie continues . . .

When I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, little did I know how cancer would change the course of my life. I searched for other survivors. But there were no support groups or Gilda's clubs.

Were there any survivors?

A friend gave me a journal to write about my cancer experience. Eventually, I wrote the book In Her Shoes: Dancing in the Shadow of Cancer which includes my story and the stories of eleven other women with cancer diagnoses. My hope was that other women would be encouraged by our stories.

But destiny didn't begin with a published book.

A friend invited me to a writing conference where the Lord connected me with other Christian writers and provided a place where I could hone my skills since I had no previous writing experience.

My friend also started a writing group where we critiqued and encouraged one another on our writing journeys.

During this season of writing and learning, I discovered an ovarian cancer camp in Missoula, Montana. There I met other survivors who connected me with the Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance (WOCA).

Through WOCA, other survivor and I shared our ovarian cancer stories with medical students in a program called Survivors Teaching Students. We hope the students will recognize the symptoms of ovarian cancer so they can diagnose it in the earlier stages.

We also started a local ovarian cancer social group: The Fried Eggs—Sunny-Side Up. We meet monthly, sponsor speakers of interest, and participate in fundraisers.

Writing a book and sharing my story opened doors to radio, television, and podcast interviews. I have also contributed to numerous Christian compilations and devotional books.

I never planned on being an author or speaker.

I never anticipated that a cancer diagnosis would be my collision with God's destiny for me.

Discernment in Our Unexpected Circumstances

How can we discern if our unexpected circumstances are leading us into God's destiny for us?

1. Pray.

When I was told I had cancer, I didn't know what to do. I cried out, God, I need your help.

I'm reminded of Jehoshaphat when he ws surrounded by powerful armies. He prayed, "We do not know what to do, but we are looking to ou for help" (2 Chronicles 20:12 NLT). Jehoshaphat knew only God could help him.

Cancer was too big for me, and only God could help me too.

2. Obey God.

As a nurse, I had watched my patients suffer the devastating side effects of chemotherapy. I vowed I would never take those drugs. But I sensed the Lord telling me, Go through the process. That meant chemotherapy.

I recall the Lord's words to Jehoshaphat,

"Do not be afraid or discouraged. . . for the Lord is with you!" (2 Chronicles 20:17 NLT).

If I had refused to obey God and not go through chemotherapy, I would not have written a book, spoken to medical students, or advocated for the amazing women I've met along this journey.

3. Praise God.

I may have been blindsided by cancer, but God was not. Jesus is still Lord.

Even in the messy middle, Jehoshaphat appointed the singers to go before the army singing, "Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!" (2 Chronicles 20:21 NLT)

Jehoshaphat didn't know how the Lord would bring about the victory, but he believed in God's promises and faithfulness. The battle was too big.

My battle was too big for me too. But God would be faithful to me just like he was for Jehoshaphat.

4. Trust God.

I was helpless to change my situation. I had no idea how God oculd bring anything good out of something so destructive.

As I reflect on the path God chose for me, I see the steppingstones that led me to my destiny. Each step could stand alone, but together they led me along a path to being a published author and an avocate for ovarian cancer survivors.

Like Jehoshaphat, I need to watch how God's plan unfolds. Then I will see how God brings about His purposes and plans for my life.

"God is faithful [He is reliable, trustworthy and ever true to His promise—He can be depended on]" (1 Corinthians 1:9 AMP).

Sometimes it's the unexpected circumstances in our lives that lead us into our destiny in Christ.

"For we are His workmanshipo, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV).

In what ways has God used the circumstances of your life to direct you into His plans and purposes?

Joanie Shawhan shares true-life stories, offering her reader an eyewitness view of the action. Her Selah Awards Finalist book, In Her Shoes: Dancing in the Shadow of Cancer, reflects the value of "Your story plus my story become our stories." An ovarian cancer survivor and registered nurse, Joanie speaks to medical students in the Survivors Teaching Students program. She co-founded an ovarian cancer social group: The Fried Eggs—Sunny-Side Up. Publishing credits include: Guideposts Divine Interventions; Snapshots of Hope & Heart; Sage, Salt & Sunshine; Life Repurposed; and We May Be Done But We're Not Finished. Follow Joanie at joanieshawhan.com.

Graphic adapted, from an ad on Amazon for an ovarian cancer decal.

When Back Leads to New

Kolleen Lucariello always surprises me with her out of the box thinking and spiritual insights. In this Spiritual Growth UPGRADE, she asks us to consider what might happen if God sends us "back to" in order to bring us to an "experience of new.""When I consider going back to something I have viewed it as regression," Kolleen said. "It’s an odd phenomenon for me when going back leads to new."

I (Dawn) pondered this post. I asked God, where do I need to go back, Lord? Then I realized God had already taken me back several times. He took me back to a place of abuse to give me new freedom in forgiveness. He took me back to a place of shame to give me a greater sense of His strength, mercy, and grace. This is a powerful message. Ponder it.

Kolleen continues . . .

• We send our children back to school to experience a new year.
• I personally, had to go back to traumatic spaces in therapy to experience a new perspective of my identity.
• The life of Moses is a great example of how going back to can lead to an experience of new.

After years of oppression in Egypt, Moses’ birth announcement comes at a time when the law of the land is death to any Hebrew baby boy at birth. He’s saved because his mother placed him in a basket and sent him floating down the Nile. He is discovered by the daughter of the man who made the awful law.

She sent him back to his birth mother to experience life as an Israelite. When he was old enough, his birth mother sent him back to Pharoah’s daughter to experience a new life as her son—an Egyptian.

Eventually, those two identities would become incompatible, and Moses would commit an act of murder against an Egyptian to protect the life of a Hebrew.

This feels a bit treasonous. After all, Moses spent more years living as an Egyptian than as a Hebrew. But, when the news became public, he was a man on the run.

Eventually, Moses would be minding his own business as a shepherd tending to the flock of his father-in-law.

Until the day when Moses came to Horeb, the mountain of God, and God introduced himself.

“You’re the man I’m looking for, Moses! I’m going to send you back to Egypt so my people can experience a new unoppressed life.”

Of course, this is the Kolleen paraphrase and there is much more to be read of the story; however, this example shows us that God is not opposed to sending someone back to what we’ve been running from if it will assist another to experience the new.

Yet, after God’s explanation, Moses expressed some self-doubt—fear, perhaps?

“Who am I?” Moses asked.

Who was he? Was he a Hebrew? Was he an Egyptian? Was he a shepherd?

Did he have any memory from his earliest beginnings? Or had he blocked those days of his birth family?

Regardless, God knew who he was, and Moses needed to know who God was.

“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6, NIV, emphasis mine).

God was taking Moses back to his roots, but first Moses would go back to Egypt for a new experience within Egypt. While in Egypt, God would give Moses a new experience with the people of his ethnicity and, together, they would go back to the mountain of God.

I’ve been shaken to the core by a loss of identity. And like Moses, I needed to go back to the place I had been running from and allow God to do a bit of cleanup so I could come out and experience something new.  

My years within my own "personal Egypt" had diminished my identity and God needed to send me back to the foundation of my faith to reestablish and reaffirm the truth of my identity.

My parents laid a foundation of faith, but I spent a few years running from it. The Lord led me back to the church where my own faith was established. God used this time to challenge my mischaracterization of His identity and I began a new experience with Him. 

Never discount what God can do by taking you back to your foundation of faith.

God isn’t afraid to dismantle what is cracked or was poorly laid and reveal His true nature.

When God identified Himself, “Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God” (Exodus 3:6b).

When fear and shame from my time in Egypt turned my face away from God, He led me back to the Cross, and I began a new experience with forgiveness and Truth.

What's YOUR Back to the New?

Does God want to do some cleanup in your life? When He instructs us to go back to the root or our "personal Egypt," remember, He’s not asking us to settle there again.

Too often we believe we are the sum of every mistake. That’s not how God sees us.

What’s really cool to me about Moses’ story is that God would add one more title to his identity.

When Moses wondered, "Who am I?"—A Hebrew? An Egyptian? A Shepherd?—I can almost hear God whisper, “You have been every single one, Moses. But now you are “My servant, Moses” (Numbers 12:7).

Where might God ask you to go back to so He can lead you into the new?

Kolleen Lucariello, the  #TheABCGirl, is the author of #beYou: Change Your Identity One Letter at a Time, and is the Co-Director of Activ8Her, Inc. She is passionate to help every woman realize her identity in Christ and live accordingly. Kolleen and her hubby, Pat, make their home in Central New York. She's the mom of three grown children and Mimi to six incredible grands. For more informaiton about Kolleen, visit speakkolleen.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Openicons at Pixabay.

The Tooth Fairy or the Holy Spirit?

Joy Elben is a gifted interior designer and writer who battles physical issues with grace and joy. In this Joy UPGRADE, she reminds us there is real joy that is solid and secure—not from circumstances, but from the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

“Joy can feel like an ever-elusive concept, like the Tooth Fairy, or the Easter Bunny or the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” she said.

“We quest after, wish for, and chase down the peace and contentment that it brings.”

Oh, I (Dawn) have been down that elusive trail to happiness, and it does not compare to the joy I have now. Joy explains this so well.

Joy continues . . .

If joy, by its very definition, is characterized by great pleasure and happiness, well-being and delight, then it stands to reason that we want to be in pursuit of such a trait.

Honestly now, we all desire that. I know that I do!

While writing for an upcoming publication a few years ago, I asked my husband to play a quick word association game with me. I would say a word and he would tell me the word that came immediately to mind. For example: milk and cookies or peanut butter and jelly.

When I produced the word “identity,” the first word that came to his mind was “theft.”

I laughed because I was certain that as a seasoned pastor, he would share some deep insightful anecdotes on which I could elaborate. Instead, I received an image of an RIFD* wallet meant to ward off identity theft.

I then came to love the idea.

In September of 2019, our family was gifted the opportunity to go to the Middle East on a mission/humanitarian trip, and the first thing I did was buy an RFID cover for our passports.

It was made apparent to us that identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world, and in a moment, can devastatingly damage, if not ruin, your credit and sense of security.

It can take years to recover and restore what had always belonged to you in the first place.

Think about it, the enemy would love nothing more than to steal from us the joy of an identity rooted in who we are as a child of God.

Just as a thief stealthily comes to steal your identity replacing it with another, so the Deceiver will try to replace the truth that you are eternally whole and secure with the lie that you need to look for significance or individuality in temporal trappings.

The Bible is in fact our RFID protection against such robbery.

It is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of Truth. It is there to remind you of who you are; thus, being the ultimate protection from identity theft.

When we know Whose we are, our joy is secure.

Joy is different than happiness.

The world would have us on an endless search for the next thing that will fulfill our longing for contentment.

Fundamentally, however, we all know that feelings of happiness can be elusive and fleeting. They dissipate like the fog as the sun beats down upon the beach in the heat of the day. It’s gone just as surely as it was there, but the biblical definition of joy goes so much deeper than that.

What is True, Biblical Joy?

1. True, Biblical Joy Comes from the Holy Spirit.

You will find that biblical joy can be a contstant and non-transient companion through the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life.

How sweet it is to know that joy, because it is a fruit of the spirit, is a natural manifestation of the Holy Spirit in me:

But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy . . . . (Galatians 5:22).

It isn’t up to me to conjure up a feeling of happiness, but rather it is a result of walking with the Lord and growing in my faith.

2. True, Biblical Joy Is Grounded in the God of Hope.

True joy has staying power that can abide through the harshest of rays and the darkest of days because it is grounded in the assurance that Jesus is our source of joy, peace, hope, and confidence, as seen in Romans 15:13:

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

3. True, Biblical Joy Carries Us Through Difficulties.

The God of the universe is our rock and salvation. Due to this truth, we can live in an abiding state of joy despite experiencing legitimate and deep sorrow or uncertainty in our circumstances and trials.

The writer of Psalms knew the reality of this truth as he penned:

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:1).

I surely look forward to the “forevermore” promised in the Psalms, but for now I rest in His faithfulness, knowing that He knows what is best and can be trusted with life’s unknowns.

Joy in the Lord is greater than anything the world can offer.

Are you searching for your source of joy and strength outside of the standard of the character of Jesus? If so, take a moment to examine what you are trying to control. Can you visualize yourself handing your circumstances over to God?

Joy Elben, born and raised in sunny, San Diego, California, grew up at and later served at Shadow Mountain Community Church and Turning Point Ministries. She then journeyed alongside her husband to Forest Home Christian Camps, in the picturesque setting of Ojai, California. After two years in this beautiful setting Joy and her family relocated to Georgia and learned a new normal in the sweet, South. Joy has enjoyed speaking opportunities throughout the US and the Middle East. Joy and family currently reside in Southern California. Joy is a pastor's wife, adoptive mom, foster parent, enthusiastic traveler, writer, artist, graphic designer and owner of Joy Elben Design.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Anastasiya Babienko at Pixabay.

* RFID means "radio frequency identification," a form of wireless communication.

Persevering the Staircase of Suffering

Sherri Cullison is a phenomenal woman who has found God to be "enough" in her struggles. In this Perseverance UPGRADE, she shares three ways to cultivate perseverance in times of suffering.

“I am so excited you’re giving me your exercise bike,” Sherri exclaimed. "My uncle stood stunned, eyes wide and straight-faced."

I (Dawn) have to tell you, I met Sherri some years ago, after she suffered a terrible loss. Yet she was engaging and eager to see how God might use her in spite of her pain. I have been blessed to see her perseverance.

In this article, she writes about two different kinds of suffering she's experienced, and how perseverance helped her deal with both.

Sherri continues . . .

Truthfully, I really was excited about the exercise bike. For months, I wanted to lose weight to feel stronger and healthier, but I couldn’t exercise standing due to an old injury.

I had the desire to reduce fat and build muscle, but I felt chained to the recliner, hopeless of ever becoming fit. But now, with a little work, I could pedal myself away on a new journey of fitness.

I knew I had to start slow and easy, so I set a goal of pedaling for five minutes.

Quickly, my lungs labored, and my leg muscles burned.

My will grew weak, and I wanted to give up.

Then I pushed myself a little harder and finished my first five minutes. Hurray.

Now I’m a world-class athlete. Not likely. But what brings success to my goal? Persevering on this uncomfortable contraption for just a few minutes every day.

Several years ago, I thought perseverance wasn’t an option.

After losing my youngest daughter Sarah, I trudged through my grief-walk each day, dreading the next.

• My body operated as if fifty-pound weights were anchored to my ankles.
• My mind floated in a fog and functioned unreliably.
• Tears came easy and the hands of anxiety choked my breath away.
• There were days I wasn’t sure I would even make it to the next.

Sometimes we feel we’ll never recover from life’s struggles, but how we choose to handle our circumstances is vital to surviving life-altering changes.

The suffering we often experience is incomprehensible, yet God’s Word encourages us:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans 5:1-4 NIV).

Certainly, I didn’t feel like “glory-ing” in my suffering when I lost my daughter, but God promised that in my suffering I would find perseverance.

And then character.

And finally, hope.

With hope, I knew I could get through this nightmare.

How do we grasp this hope that God promises? Three helpful answers are found in Hebrews 12.

1. Choose to Run the Race with Endurance.

Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.

Sometimes that means letting go of sin’s grip.

When we’re sinning, we don’t want to run with God. We would rather walk on our own.

Often, we need to downsize our responsibilities. It’s okay to say no, and it’s okay to remove those heavy things in our lives that slow us down.

Allow yourself the grace to simplify your life.

2. Choose to Consistently Fix Our Eyes on Jesus.

Hebrews 12:2, 3 (NLT)

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward.

Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don’t become weary and give up.

Jesus endured merciless beatings, humiliation, and imminent death. However, we fix our eyes on our current situation and honestly, not enough on Jesus and what He endured.

Pursuing time alone with Him every day will bring light to our dark situation. Pray simple prayers and allow him to carry your heavy load.

3. Choose to Persevere in Living a Life that Others Follow.

Hebrews 12:12 (NLT)

So, take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.

Paul wasn’t kidding when he said our hands would be tired and our legs shaky.

Some steps of life begin at the bottom of a long, dark staircase where we hesitate to even take the first step. But God tells us to mark out a straight path. Map your thoughts and actions, and don’t give up.

Push to persevere. Then watch others follow and become strong.

You’ve just built character here. And that, my friend, leads to hope.

What steps will you take this week to pursue your goals and meet glory in your suffering?

Sherri J. Cullison, author and speaker, knows the pain and devastation life brings. Whether your hope is treading or sinking, Sherri’s heart for hope reveals how we can manage our everyday struggles to claim joy and love life.  In her recent book, SOS: A Mother’s Story of Survival, Rescue, and Hope in the Darkness of Teen Suicide, Sherri shares the heartbreaking loss of her daughter and the evidence of God’s healing, forgiveness, and restoration. Sherri and her husband live in Arizona and have two children, seven grandchildren, five pianos, and one RZR. Discover more about Sherri and her story at www.sherrijcullison.com