12/31/2018 - FINISH STRONG
"For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:6-8
To you, what is more important the start or the finish?
For me it is the finish. In baseball there is a saying that goes "you are only as good as your last at-bat".
Per game you get an average of three to four at-bats. The average baseball player bats .260-.275, meanwhile you are consider a Hall of Famer and one of the best in the game when you can bat .300.
This means that seven out of ten times you are getting out. It is extremely frustrating. Baseball is a game of inches and a game of mistakes.
There are so many games where you are going into your last at-bat without a hit, but if you get a hit, it is so satisfying. You finished the game on a high note. Sometimes that is the only at-bat people remember. It is a two and half hour, sometimes more, long game; it is kind of hard to remember every single at-bat.
My pastor, the G.O.A.T. Dr. G Steve Kinnard, once told in a sermon how he was learning karate (or some kind of mixed martial arts) that after every grueling workout session the sensei would make sure that the last rep of whatever they were doing was the best. He wanted them to finish strong. He saw that if their last rep was not the best than the whole workout was useless.
You got to finish strong.
For me the finish the most important. It is easy to start something, but it is how and when you finish that is the most satisfying. One of my biggest passions in life is art, and not just the basic form or art in drawing, but also in writing. I love writing and actually have a life goal of releasing at least one novel, that is why I started this blog. Looking at my portfolio whether it be writing or drawing, I have started so many projects finished and unfinished. With my novel, I have notes on notes on what I want to write about. I literally have an outline for a novel and it sequel, but yet have nothing on paper to come with it. I even have one basically 1/3 of the way finished. I have one ongoing art project that I am almost finished with, there is a small piece and a big piece that I want to start and finish during this winter break.
To get to my point, it is easy to start something and do not get me wrong the start is important because if you do not start right you do not have a good foundation (I will talk about that tomorrow), but it is all about how you finish and if you finish. I feel more satisfied about something when I finish it, because I accomplished something that I set out time and a lot of energy to accomplish.
I am sitting on so many unfinished projects that the hardest part is finishing. The finish is satisfying, sitting back and seeing what you accomplished, seeing what you accomplished through the guiding hands of God, most of the time surprising yourself.
Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter (as well as most of his letters). This alone is amazing, that his love for God and the Mission was so strong that he was facing death in prison, but it did not stop him from helping people and spreading the Gospel. When he was writing this letter he was on the verge of dying. He was on his last at-bat, his last rep.
Paul was almost on his last go of it, but that did not stop him. He wanted to make sure that he finished strong. He fought the good fight. He finished the race. He kept his faith. He crossed the finish line running at the same speed he started and with his hands in the air in victory, gain the crown of righteousness.
This is something that we can and should take a note from and apply it to our lives 2018 comes to an end and 2019 starts. Finish strong. Continue to fight the good fight. Make sure you are on the path that ends with the crown of righteousness.
2018 what a year.
It was a year full of ups and downs, wins and losses. It was a year full of cries, depression and anxiety. It was the pure definition of a "roller coaster of a year". A year to forget, but to remember. A year to learn from.
A year where I started off so low, where 2017 ended so high. 2018, progressively went up and down, until the summer where it was an up for a while then progressively went back to ups and downs during the school year.
It was a year full of trips and falls, temptations and indulgences. A year full of victories, studies, the creation of this blog, teaching and leadership roles.
I am ready to leave 2018 in the past and ready to take on 2019. I am ready to leave it behind me, but not let it define me. A year to remind me that I am still an incredibly young Christian and that I have still have so much to learn, do and grow with. A year that taught me that I am human. A year that showed me that my main and true purpose is being with God.
I started the year off lower than low. Ending it higher than I started, but no where near where I wanted to end or close to my peak. I pray that 2019 is my year.
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time - God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:11-16)
William Barclay said in his commentary about 2 Timothy 4:6-8, “It is easy to begin but hard to finish. The one thing necessary for life is staying-power, and that is what so many people lack. It was suggested to a certain very famous man that his biography should be written while he was still alive. He absolutely refused to give permission, and his reason was: I have seen so many men fall out on the last lap. It is easy to wreck a noble life or a fine record by some closing folly. But it was Paul's claim that he had finished the race. There is a deep satisfaction in reaching the goal.”
Thank U, Next.
Lord, thank for all the struggles in 2018. Thank you for the wins and losses. Thank you for the ups and downs. Thank you for every lesson that you showed me. I pray that you grant me the wisdom and strength to use this for my growth and the glorification of you. I pray that you help me grow to more of the man you want me to be this upcoming year. Help me with everything. Allow me to know, learn, and be with you. Allow all things to happen for your glory, allow your kingdom to come on this earth as it is in heaven. Your will, not mine. I pray all this in your son's glorious awesome name, Amen.
#LetsBeAMovement