Creative types often start projects, but they don’t often finish them. However, if God has entrusted you with a creative endeavor like a book, message, or event, then you want to be faithful to complete it.
Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Here are some manageable action steps to help you move forward and complete your God-given assignment.
6 Action Steps for Finishing Well
- Pray!
Rely on God’s wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and equip you as you work.
Speaker, author, and coach, Cindy Bultema says, “You’ve got to lay down the tracks in prayer.” Gather a trusted small group of friends to cover you in prayer as you take steps to complete your project. Spiritual warfare is real, and it is unwise to tackle Kingdom work alone. Prayer will pave the way through obstacles and discouragement. We can do no good thing apart from God’s wisdom and the power supplied by the Holy Spirit. Depend on Jesus and communicate with Him often throughout the process.
- Set a realistic deadline and tell others about it.
“I’ll get to it eventually.” “I’ll finish it after ___________.” I often hear statements like this from creatives. They have good intentions, but life keeps happening and their projects remain unfinished.
We may think we don’t have enough time to work on our message, writing, or event, yet we watch as those around us finish what they set out to do. Set a firm deadline and tell others about it so they can hold you accountable.
- Carve out time to work on your project.
Time won’t find you — you need to decide on a designated time to work based on your current responsibilities. Protect that time on your calendar! Don’t plan coffee dates or doctor appointments during that block of time, (if at all possible). Take yourself seriously as a writer, speaker, leader and make time for that sacred assignment God has entrusted to you.
- Turn off distractions and tune out the noise.
Put your phone in the other room, close tabs on your computer, work in a location that won’t distract you. Set a timer and don’t get up until it goes off (unless there’s a true emergency of course)! When we keep the end goal in sight without giving equal attention to every minutia, we focus on the greater goal without being distracted by non-essentials.
- Give yourself grace when the unexpected happens.
Life will happen! For example, as I sat down to prepare a talk for an event, I discovered my dog had eaten chocolate. I had to stop and tend to my pet. It was not convenient, but it was necessary. And you know what? God gave me the words when I needed them even though I didn’t have much time to prep for the speaking event.
Don’t get bent out of shape when those interruptions happen—preaching to myself here. What was a most inconvenient interruption became a real life example that I used in my talk the next day.
- Celebrate milestones along the way.
My friend, speaker and author, Lee Nienhuis, treated her family to ice cream or a special outing for each chapter she completed of her manuscript. Instead of her loved ones feeling frustrated that she had to tuck away and write, they cheered her on so she could finish another chapter, knowing they would enjoy the reward with her.
Celebrate what you’ve done instead of fixating on all there’s left to do. I’ve created the All Done! Calendar to help you record your accomplishments so you can look back and see the progress you’ve made.
I’m cheering you on as you take the next step in your creative endeavor! Don’t give up! God has entrusted you with important work for His glory.
Question: Which of these six steps will you incorporate today as you faithfully steward what God has entrusted to you?
Additional Resources on this subject:
- Reflect on Philippians 1:6 and Colossians 3:23-24
- Ep. 108 of the Martha + Mary Show: Being a Finisher
- “Finishing Well” blog post
- All Done! Calendar
About Katie M. Reid
Katie M. Reid is a Bible teacher, author, and podcaster who inspires others to make life-giving decisions, one day at a time. Trained in education, Katie teaches around her kitchen table, in the classroom, and around the country. She cohosts The Martha + Mary Show and runs the Martha + Mary Show Sisterhood group on Facebook. Katie is a pastor’s wife and worship leader. Following Jesus, marrying her husband, and being a mom to five are the best decisions she’s made. Her latest book, God, What Do I Do? is a Bible Study on Judges 1–5 about making wise decisions in uncertain times. It’s a wonderful resource for individuals or small groups. Pick up a copy wherever books are sold and be sure to subscribe to Katie’s Good News-letter at katiemreid.com.