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Am I Confident About Finishing What I Start?

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6

When I was in my 10th Std., the inter-school football competition was hosted by our school. We had a good team and we were sure of winning the cup. We reached the finals against Baroda High School. Unfortunately we lost the match in penalty shoot-out. But every time we remember the match we cannot forget the chance we go in the 10th min of the second half. Nayan Anjaria was the centre forward and he dribbled beautifully and cleared all the defenders and he was all alone about four or five feet in front of the goal post and still missed. Though we had more possession and shots on goal what ultimately matters in a game is finishing.

When we examine our lives, we do not always finish what we start. Our lives are often filled with loose ends - home improvement tasks begun but not finished, books begun but not finished, promises made but not kept, intentions begun but not followed through on. Our lives are often stuffed with the would have beens, could have beens and the should have beens.

St. Paul is happy and joyful because he knows the good news of the gospel is that God always finishes what He starts. Paul planted the church at Philippi, the first Christian church in Europe, during his second missionary journey, which is recorded in Acts 16. The planting of the church in Philippi did not involve any of the current church planting strategies of market research, demographic studies and so on, rather it involved a small women's prayer group, Paul being thrown in jail and an earthquake.. And yet by the power of the Holy Spirit a church began in Philippi.

In Philippians 1:6 Paul begins by saying, "I am confident."The word confident mentioned in this verse is used by Paul 23 times throughout his letters. Its found six times in Philippians. The Greek word is peitho which is translated as. "to be strongly persuaded."Paul was deeply fixed in his confidence about what God was doing in the life of the Philippians.

Thereafter Paul says the reason for his confidence. Paul continues by saying, "he who began a good work in you..." Who is this he? The reason for his confidence is this "He". It is God the Father who was the One who began this work. It was not God and the Philippians, as if this was a joint effort in salvation. It is God and God alone who began this work.

Since God began this work Paul was confident that God would "carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.". In some translations the word perfect is used. The word perfect is a very intensive word and it means to bring to full and final completion.In fact, this is the same verb that is used when Jesus cried out, "It is finished," to bring all the way to completion the work of redemption upon Calvary's cross.

We need to understand that God is not like us. We start projects we never finish. Looking back I know how many diet plans I started and left mid way. How many work our programs I joined byt left mid way. How many vocal and instrument classes my dad forced me to go but I left mid way.

We all begin everything with good intentions on the front end, and after a week or two we just fall by the wayside. I am sure I am not the only one in the race where I started off many things but couldn't bring it to completion.

We start things by we do not finish them. Occasionally we do, but that is not like God. God finishes what He starts. God is not interrupted. And God does not give up. And God does not allow His projects to go unfinished.

Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians to bolster their faith and to encourage them. And I trust it will have the same effect upon your life today.

If you are down in spirits, dear friends be confident that God who began a good work in us will carry it our to completion. May God give us the confidence that Paul had and live with joyful confidence that He is there to take care of us and complete what He had begun in us.

God Bless You.

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