Finishing Well

I have been retired from my primary vocation for more than six years now. Inside, I don’t think of myself as old, but there are times I am reminded of my age. Recently, I was shooting baskets in our church gym, something I did thousands and thousands of times when I was much younger. I used to have a pretty decent shot, but on that day my shot sadly looked like I had never even picked up a basketball. That was a reminder of how old I really am.

My wife and I take a short trip to Lake Geneva in Wisconsin each fall. One of the things we always make sure to do is to sit on our favorite bench and watch the sun set over Geneva Lake. One of the subjects we touched on recently as we sat there was aging, and how we both want to finish well. Our prayer is that we would be “used up” for God’s glory.

I want to finish well in all aspects of my life, specifically in vocation, relationships, ministry and faith. After all, don’t we all want to hear our Lord tell us at the end of our race, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” Matthew 25:21

Growing up, my parents would tell me that it’s the last thing someone does that people remember. There’s a lot of wisdom in that. Recently, a respected pastor who we had seen speak at conferences many times over the past several years confessed to an inappropriate relationship with a woman who was not his wife, a sin that has disqualified him from ministry. At 73 years old, he will no longer be remembered as an excellent preacher, but as a pastor who fell.

The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”. I want to finish well just as Paul did. I also want you to finish well.

I can think of four main areas of life to finish well in:

Finishing well in our vocations. My primary vocation during my career was that of a leader in a Fortune 50 organization. Since retirement, I have taken on a larger role in ministry. Your new vocation may be that of a grandparent.

We all know those who have started well, but not finished well. I think back to one of my early classes at Covenant Seminary where we studied the kings. As just one example, King Asa was a king of Judah who is referred to in II Chronicles 14:2 as someone who “did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD, his God”. But he did not finish well. Or think of any number of modern-day politicians, celebrities or sports figures (you can fill in the blank) who haven’t finished well.

One of my favorite verses is Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men”. I want to finish well, doing my work heartily for the Lord, using my leadership experience and seminary education to serve the Lord as long as I am mentally and physically capable. Let’s finish well in our vocations.

Finishing well in our relationships. In his prayer entitled “A Prayer about Friends Finishing Well” Scotty Smith writes “I’ve already gripped the handle of a couple of friend’s caskets, and other friends will do the same for me one day. More than ever, I want us to finish well together for the gospel.” I too want to finish well in all of my relationships, family, friends, co-workers, etc. Retirement has given me more time to focus on relationships.

Are there relationships that need mending so that you can finish well in them? With Scotty pray, “Help us to know how to preach the gospel to our own hearts daily, and to each other, until today gives way to the day of your longed-for return”.

Finishing well in our ministry. The Apostle Paul writes in Acts 20:24 “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” I long to finish well the ministry that the Lord has provided me with to date, and any additional opportunities in the future.  I hope you are encouraged to do the same. Ministry is hard, tiring and can be frustrating. The pastor who recently fell that I mentioned above is a reminder that any of us can fall. I pray that we will all be faithful.

Finishing well in our faith. Lastly, and most importantly, I want us to finish well in our faith journeys. We all know those who are examples of the parable of the sower or soils, in Matthew 13:18-23, who have fallen away after professing faith. However, although they may struggle for a period, no true believer will have a full and final fall. The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ”.

In his book Intentional Living, John Maxwell writes that “Nobody finishes well by accident”. Let’s finish well!

Be encouraged with this passage from the Apostle Paul from Philippians 3:12-16:

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.  

There is much more that could be said about finishing well. What would you add?

Bill Pence is a St. Louis Cardinals fan, formerly a manager at a Fortune 50 organization, and in leadership at his local church. His life-long passion is to help people develop and use their strengths to their fullest potential. Bill is married to his best friend Tammy, a graduate of Covenant Seminary. Both have written a book. Bill’s book is, Called to Lead: Living and Leading for Jesus in the workplace. Tammy’s book is,  Study, Savor and Share Scripture: Becoming What We Behold are available in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon. To discover more about Bill please visit his website.