A Day Late, and a Dollar Short

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns (Philippians 1:6, NLT).

This is a saying I’ve heard for years, often used when an action is deemed “insufficient”, because it wasn’t delivered in an adequate manner. When we’re late in acknowledging a critical event like someone losing a loved one, or their job. Maybe we miss an important anniversary, or birthday of someone we’re close to. Particularly in this age of social media, this saying is applied critically when someone doesn’t speak out against a tragic event quickly enough.

I didn’t have a devotion scheduled to post on my website yesterday, and those words echoed in my brain a bit. As I shared this in conversation with a friend yesterday, we talked about how easy it is to become legalistic in regard to the gifts the Lord bestows upon each of us. Though I missed sharing with you all yesterday, I never want these gifts to become a tool for the enemy.

Legalism, which is rooted in performance and perfection, is not God’s design. When we begin to use our gifts in a way that leans into human effort, we are missing the entire point. Our gifts are from God, to be used to serve others in love, while bringing honor and glory to Him. 

Since I began this writing journey in 2020, I have been very intentional about creating space, and for a long time, I was committed to Friday’s being set apart for writing with the Lord. It has been an immense blessing, and there has been much fruit that has come from that time. But the moment I place pressure on myself to meet certain expectations, I have handed the keys of my gift over to the enemy. My friend reminded me yesterday of what is spoken in Philippians 1:6:

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

I’ve not been writing as much lately, and that’s okay. It’s not because I don’t feel called, or because I’ve lost the words or the motivation. It’s a wonderful spiritual disciple that builds me up, and encourages my heart to continue growing in the Lord. I’ve simply chosen to fill that space a little differently these days. 

Namely, by showing up as often as I can in the worlds of my nieces and nephews, particularly a little 4 year old boy who is spending his last year at home during the day with his Grammy (my Mom) before he starts kindergarten next year. At the same time next fall, my oldest niece will start her first semester of college. Time is a thief, my friends. 

Though I have not spent as much time writing lately, my heart has grown immensely as I’ve been given the beautiful gift of witnessing, and walking with them through all of these stages of their lives. What an opportunity it is to show them the love of Christ, and I won’t miss it. Even if my devotions are sometimes “a day late and a dollar short.” I am grateful that it is not I, but God himself, who will continue the good work within me.