Being
confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to
completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
I’ve
used a Franklin Planner since 1995. It’s been great for organizing my thoughts,
tracking tasks, and taking notes during meetings. I have come into the 21st
century, though—no more paper planners and switching pages each month. These
days, my planner lives on my iPad.
Years ago, I had a manager who once watched me at the end of the day as I worked through my task list, making sure everything was checked off. He looked at me and said, “You know, you don’t have to check off every box every day.”
I was mortified. The OCD part of me requires that every box be checked.
But life doesn’t always work that way, does it? Some things carry over. Some plans take longer. Some progress happens quietly, without a neat little checkmark beside it. It’s easy to look back on a week and focus on what didn’t get finished. The things we meant to do, the conversations we wish had gone better, the plans that changed along the way. We’re often harder on ourselves than we need to be.
But God doesn’t measure progress the way we do.
Paul reminds us that God isn’t looking at our lives with a checklist. He’s not disappointed when things are unfinished. God is still at work—steadily, faithfully, patiently. What He starts, He continues. Even when we feel incomplete, unsure, or a little worn down, God hasn’t stepped away. He hasn’t lost interest. He isn’t disappointed in the pace. What God begins, He continues—and He’s far more patient with the process than we often are with ourselves.
As this week comes to a close, let that truth rest lightly on your heart. You don’t have to have everything figured out, it’s okay if not everything got done. It’s okay if some things remain unfinished. God is still working, and He’s doing it with love.
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible
- Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
Years ago, I had a manager who once watched me at the end of the day as I worked through my task list, making sure everything was checked off. He looked at me and said, “You know, you don’t have to check off every box every day.”
I was mortified. The OCD part of me requires that every box be checked.
But life doesn’t always work that way, does it? Some things carry over. Some plans take longer. Some progress happens quietly, without a neat little checkmark beside it. It’s easy to look back on a week and focus on what didn’t get finished. The things we meant to do, the conversations we wish had gone better, the plans that changed along the way. We’re often harder on ourselves than we need to be.
But God doesn’t measure progress the way we do.
Paul reminds us that God isn’t looking at our lives with a checklist. He’s not disappointed when things are unfinished. God is still at work—steadily, faithfully, patiently. What He starts, He continues. Even when we feel incomplete, unsure, or a little worn down, God hasn’t stepped away. He hasn’t lost interest. He isn’t disappointed in the pace. What God begins, He continues—and He’s far more patient with the process than we often are with ourselves.
As this week comes to a close, let that truth rest lightly on your heart. You don’t have to have everything figured out, it’s okay if not everything got done. It’s okay if some things remain unfinished. God is still working, and He’s doing it with love.
Daily Inspiration from the Bible
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