Finishing...

I am proficient at starting new projects, story lines, exercise regimens. Well, you get the idea. The problem is--I need help finishing. Looking for an example? Take my plan to blog last week's writing one day at a time. I started out great, on day one, but no posts followed. Organizing may be my strong suit, but discipline is not.

And that was never more apparent to me than last week. In the span of seven days, I experienced weakness in eating right, exercising, money management, time management, consistency in Quiet Time, and I'm sure other areas. Now, I realize that I cannot make myself perfect or holy. Praise the Lord that is God's work, which will be completed when He returns.

However, I have a part to play as well, and God reminded me of Romans 5:3-4 last week. "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope."

What produces hope? Character. Well, I want both of those. What produces character? Endurance, which is itself borne out of suffering.

I want to be a woman of character. A woman who finishes what she starts. And character, like weight loss and novel writing, is not an overnight venture. I must endure in whatever God brings my way. And today I start with small steps: thirty minutes with God, thirty minutes exercising, and an hour writing. Small goals for victories that lead me closer to the long-term result.

Would you pray for me in this endeavor of discipline? Would you share your own strategies for discipline and character-building? Would you join me?