Finished Things Become Usable ThingsSmakprov

## The End Endings get our attention. Whether we have just blasted through the ribbon at the finish line of a race or if we have quietly come to the end of our rope, we all know the value of endings. King Solomon, the wisest, even wrote that endings are better than beginnings. We all agree with this when a hard season ends. We are relieved because it is over. But what if a season has been good? Why should it end? How is that ending better than its beginning? The end is better than the beginning not because it was good or bad but because it happened at all. The end is better not because the season is over, but because the season mattered. Our God is a masterful storyteller. He is doing something in every moment of our lives. When we learn to recognize our endings and create conclusions between the seasons and happenings in our lives, we start to see our lives as a story he is telling. God’s story is not a story of accomplishment but one of redemption, bringing moments to a conclusion with a purpose. Conclusions create the intentional rhythms that allow us to experience the life God has made available to us. When we value our endings and learn the power of conclusion, we begin to see how our lives become useful for God’s purposes and fulfillment according to his promise. Our tendency is to get out from under difficult circumstances or seasons. Conclusions are points in time to gain perspective. We need perspective to persevere. Be still in the struggle. Seek God’s presence. And in His presence, ask for a glimpse of His perspective. This season matters for who you are becoming.