“…forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13 KJV)
As I mentioned in Chapter 1, I gruelingly finished the two graduate courses, but not the Master’s Degree. You may think that doesn’t count, but as I mentioned, that was a big enough bite to know that I didn’t want to choke down the rest at that point! Sometimes, we can put extra pressure on ourselves (and I might add wasted time) when we try to push through based on our own expectations or those that we think others have for us.
Based on my experience with those two classes, you can look at the title of this chapter in a couple of ways. First, let’s say you take a couple of classes and you know that this subject or degree is for you. You must finish what you are currently working on in order to move forward. Although, it is much easier knowing that you’re on a happy track, you may still run into a few bumps in the road that you must cross in order to continue. Don’t lose heart during those times. You must hold on to what you know – not how you are feeling at the time.
When I began working on my bachelor’s degree, I was in my thirties. I was a stay-at-home mom. My youngest was in fourth grade. My oldest was in eighth. I had wanted to go back to school for many years, but it never seemed like the right time. I had settled with God and accepted that if I never got to go, it was ok. This time, the desire rekindled strongly, and I began to take baby steps. I took one adult class in the fall to get a feel for it and see if I could get credit for life experience. I got a little taste, and was left wanting more. So I registered for full time the next semester.
During that time, although I was happy to be there and had felt that the doors had opened wide for me at that time in my life, it was occasionally very difficult. I prayed for confirmation that I was on the right path. To make a long story short, I felt very strongly that God had confirmed that path. That confirmation motivated me during the hard times to finish! After five years, I finished that degree. I was so excited to walk across that stage to receive my degree. I had thought at different times that, although my area was pretty specific, it would be a stepping stone to something else. In other words, I think sometimes, God allows us to go in certain directions for purposes other than what we think – but certainly to move forward.
The second aspect of this title could be that you get a little taste of something, and you find it isn’t for you as I did with my graduate courses. (That’s just one example of several – well, ok, maybe many!) I still needed to finish in order to move forward. Yes, I could have quit and been finished in that sense, but in this case, it was going to be to my advantage to at least finish these two courses. I know, it’s not always easy to determine when exactly to let go, but even my professor gave me the scripture, “Be still and know that I am God!…” (Psalms 46:10). Sometimes, the best advice is to quiet yourself before God as you seek His direction and choose the path of peace.
In my case, finishing taught me so much more than quitting. I was able to take a look back and see why I had ended up in the mess I was in. I could see the likely culprit – pride – that had motivated my decision. Another possible contributor was expectations that I had taken on as an added weight. Finishing also enabled me to move forward. Since that time, I have been able to lay aside more weight, become more content, and follow a more peaceful path. Oh, I’m still learning as I go, but if you are reading these words, know that God is still working on me.
Simply Celebrate With Jackie 