Trusting God with Unfinished Work
by Laura Choy
I have a cross-stitch project I started when I was pregnant with my daughter Samantha… she is now 27! Apparently, finishing what we start is not always our strong suit.
Maybe that’s why it can be easy to assume God works the same way. We’re surrounded by unfinished projects, abandoned plans, broken promises, and good intentions that never quite make it across the finish line.
And sometimes, without realizing it, we project those very human tendencies onto God. When change comes slowly, an old sin resurfaces, prayer feels dry, or life takes a turn we don’t understand, we can begin to wonder if God has stopped working. Has He grown tired of me? Have I failed too many times? Has He moved on to something—or someone—else? What feels unfinished to us can easily begin to feel forgotten by Him.
For years, I understood that God was responsible for my salvation, but I quietly assumed my spiritual growth was my responsibility. I tried harder to sin less, do more, and become more like Jesus. It was exhausting.
Then Philippians 2:13 began changing how I understood growth: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
God does the work. Our role is to respond.
That changes how we approach everyday faith. Instead of measuring our spiritual lives by how well we are performing, we can ask: Where is God inviting me to respond to what He is already doing?
When failure exposes sin, repent rather than hide. When doubt surfaces, bring it honestly to God. When circumstances feel confusing, return to Scripture and remember what is true about His character. And when you cannot see progress, look back and identify specific ways God has already been faithful.
Our lives can sometimes resemble the back of a tapestry—knots, loose threads, dark colors, and little evidence of a pattern. But what looks unfinished to us has not been abandoned by God. Philippians 1:6 gives us this assurance: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” We may not always understand what He is doing or see how the pieces fit together, but we can trust the One holding the threads.
So keep responding to His work. Keep opening His Word. Keep repenting when He reveals sin. Keep remembering His faithfulness. And keep trusting Him with what you cannot yet see. The work may be unfinished, but the One doing it is faithful—and He has promised to finish what He began.
How can you live out your everyday faith in the middle of what you’re facing today?
For prayer or encouragement, email care@centerchurch.live.
