Be A Finisher

The book of Hebrews presents a perspective of the life of Christ as our eternal High Priest. As well, in chapter 11, the author reviews many Biblical figures and discusses their trials of faith. But in chapter 12, that entire history is summed up in the life of Jesus Christ and He is described as the “Author and Finisher of our faith”. The ESV uses the terms “founder and perfecter” but the NIV uses the quite evocative words “pioneer and perfecter”. The words vary, but the message is clear, and the role of “Finisher” above all has been resonating with me the most.

I have recently seen a trend of topics being covered by a blog that I follow regarding the importance of “finishing” things. At first, I took stock of the idea and vaguely applied it to my life like we commonly do with such good advice but I did not take much time to really think through its relevance. But the concept of finishing has been brought to my attention again and again, capped off with Hebrews 12, and as I began to think about it more closely, I realized something.

Failing to finish things has crept in and become a dominating pattern in my life!

The earliest instances of this that I can recall were in my professional life as an IT consultant. When I first started out and I began to take on more difficult and exciting challenges, I was blessed with an abundance of interesting projects and I was often very quick at finishing them. But there were some very defining moments in my career where our team would experience a dearth of work and these times were very difficult for me. I had thrived on the knowledge that after every challenge there were more to take on and that lack of motivation caused me to think differently about my work. I began to hoard the tasks I had and occasionally dragged my feet to finish them. I didn’t typically miss any deadlines and it did not impact my career success in a tangible way but even when I was given greater responsibility and more prestigious positions, part of that mindset stuck. I began to exhibit a pattern of leaving things unfinished.

Fast forward a bit to today and I can also see this pattern in my personal life. Our family recently experienced quite a shift in life when I left my career in IT and came home full time to help my wife pursue her business and to pursue other interests of my own. As a homeowner of an older home, we had a number of renovation projects that needed my attention. But many of these projects were in some middle state of completion. Over time, when one project became less exciting, it was much more fun to begin a new project, full of unrealized possibilities and no challenges. But within a short time, the various areas of the house left half demolished and raw were obvious signs that there was a problem.

My songwriting had suffered due to years of neglecting to finish anything. The concepts themselves would often come to me in a flash of creativity and as a potentiality they were exciting, full of possibility and I could somehow sense what they might become. But leaving them as ideas and bits and pieces left no actual work undone, no struggle worked through, and ultimately nothing of actual import ever produced.

My bookshelf was a mess of half finished tomes as I would make it halfway through a book only to learn of a newer and more exciting book that was sure to hold even more untold knowledge I did not already possess.

My blog post ideas piled up and online business training went undone and their momentum and potential went unrealized.

My personality type makes this a very easy trap to fall into. As an INTJ and an Enneagram five, I am very much in my head, processing, considering the future, incorporating each new thought and concept into my identity. And in that state, everything is very clean and manageable. But in the real world of creativity and hard, physical existence, things are far more nuanced and messy and to move things into the world was almost to sully them, to make them less pure, albeit less real.

All of this adds up to one big psychological burden. Imagine walking along a road carrying a pack of all of your unfinished business with you. If the load is small and light, you can carry it with ease and your pace is swift. But the more things left unfinished get added to the ever growing pack and eventually you find yourself slowly, ploddingly dragging the thing along wondering why the scenery hasn’t changed in a while.

The psychological effects can be crippling. The guilt of people, relationships, and potential that go neglected. The constant comparison of your life now with what you know it could be or could have been if you could just finish something. And with every project, the loss of momentum makes it more difficult to begin again.

As with so many things, fear drives it all. For me, I fear that the outcomes, the end products may not live up to my desire for them. Will my songs end up fulfilling the grand potential I see in them (or, indeed, as in so many cases, exceed them, if I would just try!)? Will I encounter difficulties, injuries, or sweaty days finishing these home projects? Will my business ventures actually produce wealth I hope for and match the amount of work I put into them?

Fear of scarcity in particular can sap motivation and potential from a person. Will there be an exciting project waiting for me after I finish this one? Even if I do finish this song, will I ever have another idea that can equal or surpass it? What if I find that I’m just not good enough, don’t have enough time or money to finish?

But as with so many things, the solution is simple yet profound: all it takes is action. After I realized that this trend defined my life and undoubtedly held me back, I decided that, in all things, I would start to finish. I set goals for myself, however small, to devote regular time to specific tasks that were unfinished. And the momentum gained, the confidence won, and the enjoyment of the results of that action is energizing. And with each success my pace quickens, my burden is lighter, and my life is more bright, more hopeful than the day before.

I, for one, am glad that Christ not only started, not only pioneered, but finished our salvation. He was not sidetracked, He was not defeated, and He was not dismayed. I intend to look to Christ as my example and I encourage you to do the same. Be a pioneer, a trailblazer, and strive to finish.