I read one day someone’s bio as I was stuck in bed with the flu. My eyes zoomed in on three words, blurring the rest … ‘I am unfinished.‘
Boy did that hit a home-run with me as I look back on my last 365 days.
I consider myself as a perfectionist. Yet, as I am writing, yesterday’s luggage lays unpacked in the middle of the bedroom. My daughter’s blanket lounges half-crochet in a basket for the last thirteen months. And currently, I’m reading four books at the same time.
I am unfinished in more ways than I could count. And I make sure to let myself know that I’m plummeting my own standards. Satan thrives when he steals our smiles and brainwashes us with his lies ‘You’re worthless. You’re unaccomplished.’
My worth doesn’t lie in my undone work, or in my deficiency mastering parenthood, book-reading, house-tidying, or resolution-keeping. My worth is proved by the Saviour’s done work as He died and raised to life for a sinner such as me.
Satan not only roams the earth spoon-feeding us lies in an attempt to take believers down, he also comes in front of the Father smearing our imperfections, as he did with Job. Although God commends Job’s faith, Satan daringly disputes it as if he knows better the heart of man than the Lord.
“Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’
‘Does Job fear God for nothing?’ Satan replied. ‘Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? … But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.’ ” Job 1:8- 11
As the devil stains us, Messiah saints us and claims as His those who believe in Him by reminding him ‘My shed blood paid for this one. He is mine. I died for her. She is mine.’
” ‘Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. ” (Romans 8: 33-34)
I may be a messy lump of clay (at times just gooey mud-slime) who takes one step forward, and journeys three steps back, but Christ’s birth guarantees us that what He starts He will finish well. He is a promise-keeper, while the devil is a promise-stealer.
That’s right. I am unfinished. But I am God’s unfinished work. And since He is more of a perfectionist than any of us, I am confident “that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)
As we step into a new year, let’s take heart that our God will do a brilliant job honing us to perfection one day at a time, till we meet Him in glory. Silence Satan’s lies whatever they might be: you are unforgivable, without hope, unlovable, unworthy, unaccomplished, guilty for sin you’ve repented over and over again.
Let’s not make room for discouragement to enter our hearts. We are simply unfinished, but we are God’s unfinished masterpiece.
May Christ’s peace uplift your soul today.