God is not finished YET…

Several wooly-bear caterpillars shared the trail with Ron and me during a recent autumn walk. On some level, I bet this little guy knows that God is not finished with him YET! 

Thanks to Stephen Robinson for the great guest posts last week. I’m sure you appreciated the way he shared his Ironman journey, Did Not Finish Yet and In the Waiting, with much grace and honesty.

One of my favorite parts of Stephen’s story was in his first post about the challenge his friend gave him, urging Stephen to not label himself as DNF (Did Not Finish) but rather DNFY (Did Not Finish YET).

I keep thinking about this perspective, about the power of that small, three-letter word “YET.”

     Stephen made the decision to stop his participation in the grueling Ironman competition due to a variety of circumstances, all of which seem sensible to the average and even not-so-average-high-achieving individual. For most, Stephen’s decision appears to be wise discretion. Even so, in his weakened physical and emotional state, Stephen inclined toward despondency, insecurity, and regret.

Sometimes, I waken in the middle of the night. In those vulnerable hours when my brain isn’t connecting fully, I think about situations from my past—thoughts accompanied by discordant notes of sadness and shame.

    I recall, regret, or feel embarrassed by past actions and decisions, which were based on:

immaturity,

ignorance,

             woundedness,

                        confusion,

                                    willfulness,

                                                rebellion, and even

                                                            victimization. 

Dr. Curt Thompson, in his book about shame, introduces the reader with powerful words:

[Shame} is everywhere, and there is virtually nothing left untainted by it.

From our family at home to the one at church. From the bedroom to the boardroom. From school to work to play. From the art studio to the science and technology lab. It is a primal emotional pigment that colors the images of everything:  our bodies, our marriages and our politics; our successes and failures; our friends and enemies, especially the God of the Bible, who may at times feel like both. It starts and (surprisingly) ends wars, only to start them again. It fuels injustice and creates our excuses for doing little if anything about it. It is a featured tool for motivating students, athletes and employees. It enables us to conveniently remain separate from those we disagree with and who make us feel uncomfortable, while keeping to those who will only tell us what we want to hear.[i]

A very real enemy of the soul wants us to feel defined by labels. Even when our logical mind or wise counselors assure us differently, even when we know we have confessed past sins of omission or commission, the enemy keeps nitpicking our souls.

You’re stupid.

      You’re deficient.

           You’re hopeless.

                You’re unforgivable.

                    You’re a quitter.

I am grateful for a wise friend who spoke truth into my friend’s raw soul.

Here’s the truth I believe God wants to speak into your soul and my soul:

You’re becoming. God isn’t finished with you YET.

     You’re loved just as you are.

           You’re designed in the very image of God.

                   You have been given a great, eternal hope.

                         You can always be forgiven because of Jesus.

Blessings on your journey…

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[1] Curt Thompson, M.D., The Soul of Shame – Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves, InterVarsty Press 2015, p. 9