How’s Your Follow-Through?

Monday, March 13, 2017

Verse for the Week: James 1:25; “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does”

It’s Lacrosse season! And our family loves lacrosse. So when I asked my son, a senior this year, how he thought he played during his first scrimmage he replied, “Good! But I need to work on my follow-through.”

While I was listening to his breakdown, it hit me, I too need to work on my follow-through in so many things. How about you?

I know for myself, my desire “to do” tends to override my actual “do-ing” (if you know what I mean). I have a lot of lofty goals and the dreamer in me can play them out in brilliant living color crossing the proverbial finish line hands raised in the air celebrating a victorious follow-through.

But is that my reality?

More often than not, I’m afraid I fall short. Not because I don’t start, but because I don’t always follow-through to the finish. Not always, but there are some things I really do want to do but for one reason or another I just don’t follow-through.

This makes me question: Am I’m trying to do too much? Am I choosing the wrong things? Is God directing my steps or am I going out on my own?

In the game of life, which can mirror an athletic endeavor, the follow-through is the most important qualifier of the finish. I don’t want to be just a good starter—quick off the blocks. I want to be a strong finisher. I want that for my children too. I bet you do as well.

I want to follow-through on my commitment to parenting. I want to follow-through on my commitment to the Lord and not just hearing His word, but doing it. I want to follow-through with my budget so I can be free to bless others. Projects at home, tasks at work, relationships—they all need the same commitment in the follow-through.

What is God calling you to do?

I’d like to challenge us to pick one desire, one commitment, one task and take it to God for validation. Then, once you see a green light or hear a blessing of approval, make a game plan including your follow-through. Visualize it from beginning to end. Write it down. Pray about it. And then…start doing!

Prayer:

Lord, I so desperately want to be a doer of your word. Help me to not just read and study and appreciate your precepts but use them to mold me and shape me and inspire me to do them. Help me take the first step and then the second and every step until completion for your Glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflect and Respond:

Decide on one commitment you want to focus on this week and either recommit it to the Lord or decide to commit something new that you’ve always dreamed of doing but never made the final decision to take that first step. Visualized the action thread from beginning to end. Take the details seriously. You will only experience the grand swing of the follow-through if you decide to take that first step.

If you’d like, share with us a hope, a dream, a prayer that reflects your commitment to follow-through on that one thing God is whispering to your heart.

Hugs for a great week and remember, you are not alone. Be blessed as you follow hard after God in the follow-through!

Dori