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Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NIV
How many unfinished projects do you have sitting around? I haven’t counted yet (might be demoralizing if I did) but I have made it a goal to finish as many projects this year as I can. It’s half way through the year and I have finished… 2.
As you probably already know… it’s really fun to start a new project. Finding the pattern, picking out the fabric, even the cutting at the beginning is a bit exciting. Then I get into the weeds of piecing and the momentum slows down. If I make it to the finished quilt top… well, even though quilting is my favorite part… the likely hood of a finished quilt soon is… wait for it… ZERO!
As I work toward finishing my closet full of unfinished projects I’m learning a valuable lesson in perseverance. Creating a quilt from start to finish takes perseverance. There are times when you can’t stand to sew another straight line, it’s mundane and, frankly, boring at times. Then there are the moments when you think the quilt might be out to get you, and you just can’t seem to sew the block together the right way! If you get to the quilting… hundreds of thousands of stitches placed by either machine or by hand. That, in itself, is a monumental task!
Now think about what the finished quilt looks like… beautiful, a work of art, a monument to the skill and fortitude to finish the task. Evidence of your perseverance.
What evidence do you have of your faith in Jesus Christ? James points to the crown of life as the evidence of our faithful perseverance. But leading a faithful life is no easy task. We may start out on Monday with excitement and momentum, but by Saturday… I might say, living a life of faith feels like an unfinished project. There are so many things that pull us away from Jesus Christ… you fill in the blank, that it feels easier to throw faith in the closet like project to be forgotten.
James calls us to not leave the project unfinished, but to faithfully persevere through the difficulties in life just as we push though the difficult and mundane work of making a quilt, because the reward we will receive is a heavenly one, the crown of life.
We all fall short at times, just a good intentioned projects get left in the closet. The good news is… We are forgiven through Jesus Christ, and are called to persevere, pick up that unfinished project and finish with confidence through any trial we may face.
So, as I persevere through my unfinished projects, I will be reflecting on how I can also faithfully persevere through life in Jesus Christ under any trial I may face.
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