How many unfinished projects do you currently have? Unfortunately, I have more than I can count. One of my biggest pet peeves is an unfinished task. Despite my love for home improvement, DIY, and organization, I simply detest projects that cannot be finished the same day they are started. Desiring to have each undertaking finished, I push and work to get it completed from start to finish. While that sounds like a great idea, it isn’t always possible. Some projects require multiple steps that sometimes need to be spaced out. Because life is busy, there are times when you have to divide projects among more than one day. The next thing I know I have a bathroom that is missing wainscotting, baseboards that need touchup paint, clothes sitting in piles waiting for their new home, plants that are wilting as they wait to be repotted…you get the picture.
Sadly, not everything can fit into my timetable. As hectic as life can be, sometimes I am blessed to ever finish a project. In fact, there have been some unfinished tasks that have been put off for so long that it may be years before I finally get them completed. It feels wonderful when it is finally done, but I feel like so much time was wasted. I could have been enjoying its beauty or convenience a lot sooner. Other times I see that for whatever reason the delayed timing couldn’t have worked out better despite my perfectionism and need for closure.
I am so grateful God doesn’t work on my timetable. Can you imagine just how predictable and regimented life would be if He did? Do you know how many divine opportunities or blessings we would miss if everything worked out according to our itinerary?
God begins working on something in our lives long before we even realize. He works on it even when we think He has forgotten all about us. He works on the sidelines, behind the scenes and on the front lines for us. He wants to demonstrate His love to us, glorifying Himself in the process, which draws us to an even more intimate relationship with Him. BUT, he doesn’t always start and finish His work in our timing. He does what is best for us even if it is contrary to what we want. However, He is ALWAYS faithful to complete what He starts.
While we wait for Him to complete His work, we should take one day at a time faithfully praying and studying His Word. We should faithfully live for the present moment, leaning on Him, learning the lesson He shows us through it, and sharing what we are going through with others so they know they are not alone. Focusing on God’s lesson in the waiting can remind us that not everything is about us. We may be waiting so we can help someone else in their waiting period. There is always someone who is going through something worse than we. We have jobs to do in the waiting. We cannot let the enemy bring us down or distract us. It’s his goal to keep us from shining the light of The Lord.
So…once again I have to surrender my need for perfection and control to The Lord. And there is no one better to trust with my life. Now that I’ve really thought about i, I think I could get used to unfinished projects in my life as long as I have Jesus and my prayer warriors by my side. I’ll grow more than I ever imagined, and I’ll build more faith and trust than I ever thought possible. The tasks will be completed in a way that is better than I ever dreamed. Embrace the unfinished projects in your life and stay the course while you wait.
