“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
(2 Timothy 4:7)

Happy Friday everyone. You know, we are going from spring into summer and one season is giving way into another. And that’s happening not only seasonally in terms of the weather, but it is also happening for so many this time of year, with graduations and other kinds of changes. It made me think that we’re quick to celebrate beginnings, but what if we also learn to celebrate endings?

Endings often come wrapped in fear or frustration. There’s the fear of what’s next, or a frustration over what didn’t go as planned. But Paul, nearing the end of his life doesn’t sound afraid or bitter. He actually sounds grateful when in Second Timothy he writes

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

What if we faced endings with faith, trusting that God was with us in the past, and will be faithful in what’s next? What if we faced endings with fondness, choosing to treasure the memories, the lessons, and the people God gave us along the way? Endings aren’t just exits. They’re evidence of God’s work in a chapter.

They deserve to be honored, even though they may have been imperfect, unfinished, or even unexpected, and they’re often the doorway to a fresh beginning. Again, that scripture says, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7. So today, as you face the close of a school year or a project, or maybe even just a week, as one season gives way to a new season, don’t rush past it. Pause. Remember. Give thanks, and celebrate the ending with faith and fondness. Let’s pray.

Prayer
Lord, we do thank You for all seasons that You provide. And we know as one season ends and new one begins, we know that You are there through each season of life. Would You teach us to honor those seasons and to honor even the endings of one season, as they give way to a new one?