By Domenick Epps

There are those who get excited about the start of something. They are zealous. They are on time. They are enthused. They are radical. They are motivated. All during the start. But don’t they finish? Why is it they start with “God said” but don’t finish?

What happened that caused you not to finish? Why have you lost your commitment? I will suggest that it was the following: B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y.

My friend, that is called life. That is called bumps and bruises, ups and downs. At your “A” reference point, you were excited about “Z” the destination. You were thrilled about the joy of starting and fascinated about the result of finishing, but then you were hit with B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y.

B through H was not so bad, as you expected some things to happen along the way. But you got to “I” and things began to straighten up, just to get to “J,” which threw you a curve, and now you are second-guessing what you said you were supposed to be doing.

So instead of finishing, you do what seems to be the easiest thing to do and that is “quit.”

You’ve made a habit of starting businesses only to quit. You have multiple jobs and multiple marriages, and the common denominator is self.

Jesus finished the “work” that His Father gave him to do.

Here is something worth memorizing, “GOD is not in the business of taking you off course.” If it’s a God thing, God will not call you away from it, though the cup may not be easy to bear.

God is not in the business of changing His mind just to satisfy your flesh or your emotion. If anything, you got into it and wanted God to bless what He didn’t ordain in the first place. God is not in the business of telling you to leave what He told you to get into.

So now the question becomes, was it God in the first place?

Jesus finished the work.

Marathon runners don’t take pride in starting the race. They understand they will be joined in that field of long-distance running by elite runners. Their pride is not in starting. Their pride is not even in training as they prepare for the big day. Their pride is not in getting a number on their chest, nor is it in taking a few selfies before the race.

They take pride in finishing.

Today, focus on the “God said.” Today, focus on completing, instead of throwing in the towel. Today, focus on hearing “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

May finishing be your motivation, because you were made to finish it strong. Don’t quit; stay in the race.

Domenick Epps is a Suffolk resident, real estate agent and youth pastor. Email him at DomenickEpps.Realtor@gmail.com.