“Sincere beginnings are proven true as we walk in faithfulness to the end.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – September 10, 2026
And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 2 Corinthians 8:10-11, NIV
My nightstand is, in many respects, a monument to my ambitions. At any given moment, it has two tall stacks of books, most of which have a bookmark stuck somewhere around chapter 2 or 3. Whenever I start a book, I fully intend to finish it, yet I fear the reality of my piles tells a different story. When it comes to books, I am very good at starting them, yet I am easily bored and distracted and ready to jump to the next thing.
As human beings, this temptation isn’t limited to biographies and novels. In countless ways, starting something new is fun and exciting. A fresh start leaves the baggage of failed relationships or misguided ambitions behind. We’re able to wipe the slate clean and begin again. Sometimes, this is a blessing, a gift, even a mercy. Yet there are times when the fresh start is, in truth, a lack of perseverance and the courage needed to see something over the line.
In 2 Corinthians 8, St. Paul reminds the Christian family of this very truth. A year prior, there was an earnest zeal and desire to give generously to the work of the kingdom, yet a year on, we find Paul having to stir up this zeal in this community once again. Look at verse 11: “Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means” (2 Corinthians 8:11). It’s one thing to sign up to sponsor an impoverished child by filling out a card at an event. It’s another thing to see them through high school by sending monthly support for over a decade. It’s one thing to fill out a pledge card for a church capital campaign. It’s another to keep your word and invest in your community for generations to come. It’s one thing to say “in sickness and health” at the altar. It’s another to faithfully care for a dying spouse through years of illness and declining health.
Sincere beginnings are proven true as we walk in faithfulness to the very end. So today, whatever good and true “yes” you have offered in the name of the Lord, commit afresh, by his power at work within you, to finish the work you’ve started.
Prayer
Father, wherever we’ve made a faithful start, would you give us the strength and courage to finish the work that we’ve begun in your name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
What area of life most needs your focus in this season as you work to see your commitments over the finish line?
Related Reading
Luke 14:28-30; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 4:7
Worship Resource
Keith & Kristyn Getty: By Faith
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