“I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.” (Philippians 1:6 AMP)
It’s true. I am certain of it. There is no doubt in my mind, that the God who got me started on this journey, who kicked me off, set me on the starting line and encouraged me to run, who nudged me to look forwards and strive for what is ahead, who birthed this irrepressible hope in me; is willing and able and strong enough to finish what he has begun.
It wasn’t my doing. It wasn’t my idea. I was satisfied enough with my half-built happiness and cobbled together contentment. I thought I’d done well to construct something resembling survival out of these ashes. I was surprised at His suggestion that there was more to life than this. I was unnerved by His promises of life in abundance. I wondered if it was better to ignore His incessant whispering and make do with what I had. Putting myself in His hands was one of the scariest things I’ve ever had to do.
But I believe what He says, now. I believe that He won’t give up on me half way through, that He won’t leave me flailing and floundering around in the deep waters. It is not His character to taunt me with rumours of redemption and then abandon me without rescue.
His idea of wholeness, His grasp of completion are so much more perfect than mine, like comparing a complex mechanical drawing with the scribbles of an angry toddler. I see in greyscale 2d, while He sees in colours the human eye could not perceive, and in wondrous multi-dimension.
There’s little point in worrying about how long this journey will take, and when and where completion will come. I do not need to question His faithfulness, His knowledge of what is best for me, the purity of His intention. All I can do is keep walking.
The ultimate completion is in Him, when I see Him face to face. Until then, however, I know that gradually more and more will be revealed. Each day I’ll see more of His colour, His fragrance, His hope spilling into the places that were barren and dry, and that is enough to encourage me to keep going.
Your blog linked to mine randomly. I have been writing about a “desert journey” my family has found themselves on. I am curious as to what event put you on your journey. So much of what you have written is so much of what we are finding as well. It is “curious” indeed. Perhaps a “God-incidence”? Our journey (this time) began with my husband getting laid off from his job of 21 years (25 years in the industry). We have 3 school aged children, a college aged daughter, and an 84 year old mother we supported with his job. Now we are disoriented and in the desert. We have been 33 days in the desert.
Thanks for these thoughts, Vicki. Just what I needed.