Tuesday, June 02, 2009

stepping aside

If you're like me, you like to see everything through to the very end, at least in theory, even if practice can get a little rough and tumble. The problem is that only God can and does see everything through to the end. We as humans, even in Jesus, have our limitations.

Sometimes we do well to step aside or no longer engage in something, maybe because we're either not approaching it entirely correctly and wisely, and/or maybe just because our part in this work of God is finished.

I ran into something like that. I felt like a failure in parting from it, and I don't pretend I was flawless in it. But for my own peace, and even for the best of the other involved, I believe it was an appropriate decision on my part.

God's work in this, including in my own life in relation to it, goes on. God will finish it, and see it through. Of course how we humans respond in all of this is in a true sense up to us. We can't just say that God will do it, and that we have no responsibility in it, because we surely do. But apart from God there would be no hope for any of us, no hope to keep growing together into the likeness of the one to and in whom we are joined.

Does this prompt any thoughts or sharing from your own life?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

yes, i think some things come to an end without me actually doing the ending of it and after i realize that it is ended i then have to let it go so i can be ready for what ever is next. some of that is the hardest of hard to do.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Nancy,
Very true. Life does go on, and change inside and out is a part of that. But not easy. But part of the adventure of faith.