Philippians 1:6
In Progress
“There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.” Philippians 1:6 (The Message)
You don’t need me to tell you that these are very uncertain times.
Financial crisis – national or individual. Bailouts. Cancer diagnosis. Losing a job. About to lose a job. Not sure about a job. Kids not listening. Young people getting into things that can hurt them. Health problems. Overwhelmed by homework and exams. Elections on the line. Break-ups. Separation. Divorce. No purpose. No direction. Future uncertain. God seems distant. Friends seem distant too. No one understands. Help!
We all have seasons of our lives that seem worse than others. We seem to be in a season of tremendous turmoil. Everything is changing.
But in a time when everything seems to be changing – there is one constant. It’s the only constant that can make a difference.
“There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.” Philippians 1:6 (The Message)
See, according to this verse, once God has started working in your life, He isn’t going to stop; and He is going to keep going all the way to the end. Even when it doesn’t seem like it, He is still working. Even when everything points to the contrary, yup, still working. Even when we are falling apart, still working.
I would be the first to tell you that there have been many times when I have prayed to God and asked “Why?” I can think of many times in my life when I have thought all was lost. Nothing was going “my” way. Times when I thought there was nothing left to hope for – that tomorrow would not be any better. Days when I had to put one foot in front of the other – one step at a time – just to make it.
Yet, even when we lose faith, God is faithful – faithful to promises like this one – to start a great work and finish it. It may sound trite, but it’s true – God doesn’t make mistakes. He is the God that can take all our worst and convert it to His best in the blink of an eye – or can turn a whole lifetime of failures into success. It’s all in His hands.
And it wasn’t long after I thought it was “all over” that something new started. Because, He never stops working on you and me. It is often invisible and gradual – but always constant. I know, I know, it would be easier if it were all lightning bolts and “Aha” moments. But you know this – it wouldn’t be faith it didn’t require us to try to see beyond circumstances and what is in front of us.
And keep in mind, God’s goal for us isn’t about awards and promotions and most everything we would define as success. This “work” Paul is talking about is about one thing – becoming more like Jesus in every way. It is the “work” that has eternal value.
Whatever you might be experiencing today, I wanted you to know that you treasured by God (and me) and that to Him, we are all works in progress with a wondrous finish ahead.
Amen.
Discussion Questions
- Are you going through a tough time right now? What kind of prayers do you pray in difficult times?
- Is it hard to imagine that God is working in your life right now? Why or why not?
- Are you able to trust that God is at work when it seems invisible? Why or why not?
- Does it help to think that God is has a plan for you – “flourishing finish?” Why or why not?
Rev. Christopher Wolf
Isaiah 42:7
Living Water 