Monday Reflections 1.14.19

How are you on your "follow through?"  I am not talking about your golf swing but the completion of the task that is before you.  Now that I think about it, the golf swing might make a good analogy.  You have a back swing when you are loading up for some forward motion; you have the downswing when you are approaching what you are aiming at; you have the point of impact when you start something into action; and you have the follow through when you swing through and hold position in a finishing form.

This could be a really good diagram or illustration to use to explain what happens when you approach a new idea or program.  The idea floods into your head and you start that backswing of excitement and the possibilities of this new venture lead you to load up to put some energy behind it.  The idea transforms into a strong possibility and so you start your downswing toward the actual start of this project.  Everything seems to be supporting your thoughts and momentum is building for this idea turned strong possibility to become a reality.  Reality happens when the point of impact occurs.  All the excitement and planning flow into a start date and the projecting of this project forward.  The "grand" opening has happened and you are wondering if you have planned and swung for success.   The reality now heads off into the real world.  The ball is sailing away from your body but you keep going through the follow through part of the swing.  

Late in the follow through swing, your head is up to view the direction the ball or the project is going.  Many golfers look up too quick on the follow through.  They want to see where that ball is going.  The temptation is to look up as soon as you make impact.  If you do, the ball will most likely not go where you wanted it to go.  You need to use discipline to keep following the fundamentals and not fudge on any part of the swing.  Many times we are so excited about something new; we are driving forward to get it off the ground with needed resources coming on line; we set the date for launch; but then we flop or stop on the follow through.  "I got it going.  Isn't that enough?"  The answer is no.

What if the follow through swing is to have a conversation with a Christian brother or sister to address a spiritual matter in their life?  What if the follow through swing is the confession of a sin rather than the easier route of letting time just dull it from our memory?  What if the follow through swing is the admission of pride and prejudice that will put you in a vulnerable position before others?  What if the follow through swing is doing or saying something that is not culturally popular but is God honoring?  

Follow through is hard but it is also very fulfilling when we allow God to take us all the way through the swing.  Sometimes we are swinging at something that is exciting but now requiring more work, attention, and resources than we thought were needed at the onset of the backswing and downswing.  Other times we are swinging at a spiritual discipline that we have replaced with other desires and we know failure has come because follow through had been abandoned.  Sometimes what we are swinging at is a principle that God has put in place for our good but hitting it and keeping with it will put us on the "wrong side of history" as they say today.

When it comes to your spiritual life, how is your follow through?  

Satan will want you to pick up your head too soon but keep it focused on Jesus a little longer so that when He lifts up your head, you will see what He wants you to see and experience.  Adam and Eve lifted up their heads too soon in the Garden of Eden at the prompting of Satan to eat of the fruit that God told them not to partake of.  Their follow through swing in the direction of Satan's leading led them to receive a curse from God rather than a clap from Him for following through with obedience.  

I think one of the greatest follow through swings is when a Christian follows an ungodly action done by oneself or onto oneself with a godly action.  It shows a devotion to God that His words and ways are what that one is swinging for.

Adam