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Scripture References:
• Luke 14:28-30
• Proverbs 4:25-27 (NLT)
• Hebrews 12:10, 11 (NLT)
• Galatians 6:9
Picture this: You're in your favorite five-star restaurant; you've waited
all week for the delightful taste of sirloin cooked to perfection, and
without opening the menu you order filet mignon, well-done. The aroma,
and the delightful expressions of other patrons enjoying their meals,
has you waiting with eager anticipation. Just as your mouth begins to
salivate, your server comes out with your meal on a beautiful, covered
platter. He unveils the chef’s creation, and places before you a well-seasoned,
tenderized, marinated … bloody chunk of meat. Needless to say, you’d be
beyond upset and slightly confused as you stared at a great meal left
unfinished.
In life, one of the most disappointing things is when something great
is started, but never finished. Simply put, many times it's easier to
start than it is to finish. Often the excitement of starting a new business,
relationship, or any endeavor, causes us to ignore what it will take to
complete it. In reality, starting it is the easy part, but people will
only remember how you finished. How many endeavors have you started, but
never finished?
In order to avoid a life littered with unfinished monuments, you must
be sure you calculate the cost of what it takes to complete what you begin.
Without knowing the costs, you’ll find yourself laying foundation and
framework for endeavors you don’t have sufficient resources to finish.
Don’t let the thrill of starting something new blind you to what it will
take to bring it to pass. Calculate the time, money, effort, and energy
it will cost, and be sure you’re willing to pay the price.
Discipline yourself to stay consistent in everything you want to accomplish.
I am convinced that discipline is what separates finishers from mere starters.
Discipline is doing what you know you need to do, regardless of how you
feel. Without discipline, it’s easy to be seduced by the distractions
life brings, and lose focus on the task at hand.
Focus on the rewards of finishing what you start, than on the difficulty
of the process to keep you from getting weary and quitting. Life is all
about rewards! This year, make a decision to be a finisher. Remember,
the reward is in finishing. I love you, and in the name of Jesus, I pray
that you too, will become a finisher!
— Dr. Creflo A. Dollar
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