Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. 2 Corinthians 8:11 NLT
The Christians in Jerusalem were suffering. Times were really rough. Paul contacted the Christians in Corinth who were at a completely different place. They had resources, and Paul asked them to commit to the goal of financially meeting the need. They committed to it, and then were the very first to give. But by the time Paul wrote this letter, they had not met the goal. Somewhere along the way they dropped the ball. They just quit.
So, Paul wrote to them and reminded them of what their goal had been and why they started. He said he wasn’t commanding them, but he was telling them what they should do. Finish what you started. “Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now.”
That’s a message we sometimes need after we set goals. We get excited and begin with a great rush of enthusiasm because God has given us an idea, a direction, and we set a goal. But along the way we slow down, lose our focus or drive, and the goal is forgotten. The thing is, it takes more than a good goal to get you where you need to go. Motivation by itself can fail you. Knowing WHAT you want or need to accomplish is not enough. Your WHY is most important. When you set your goals considering why this needs to happen, what is the God-honoring purpose behind this goal, you will have what you need to follow through when the going gets tough. And it will.
I have a sign in my office that reminds me, “Remember why you started.” It has spoken to my heart and kept the God-inspired goals front and center when the enthusiasm and energy of the start had waned. WHY power comes from value-oriented goals. It comes from knowing why this will honor God. Why the people I love need me to achieve this goal. Why fulfilling this will impact my life and legacy. Sometimes the most compelling WHY involves the consequences if you don’t commit to and follow through on the goal.
You must know the WHY of your goals and allow that to motivate your follow-through and continuation. When you go back and remember your WHY, God will strengthen your heart. You will not require instant gratification or things to work exactly as you thought. You’ll be in it for
the best reasons and your why will give you joy!
- Get with God and get your WHY crystal clear. Write it down and post it where you will see it over and over. Share it with reliable people. Your WHY will do it.