Don’t Leave the Work Unfinished

Welcome to our Hope Blog — where we take a moment to reflect on Dr. GreGory Wendell’s weekly message.

This week’s message: "Don’t Leave the Work Unfinished" (January 4, 2026)

The first Sunday of the new year is special—not because the calendar changes, but because it is the first moment we intentionally gather to acknowledge where our help truly comes from. Before the pace returns. Before plans compete for our attention. We arrive declaring that God is still first.

The simple fact that we are breathing is evidence that God is not finished. We didn’t enter this year empty—we entered it alive. A new year is not just a fresh calendar; it is a threshold of hope, and how we cross it matters.

Dr. GreGory reminded us that when Jesus said, “It is finished,” He meant it. Yet many of us continue striving, fixing, and exhausting ourselves over things God has already completed. Faith is not about working harder—it’s about responding honestly and trusting what God has finished.

When strength runs out, pay attention to what you’re reaching for. Scripture tells us a deer longs for running water, not stagnant water—because instinctively, the deer knows where water moves, life is present. Still water may look easier, but it can carry disease and danger.

In the same way, God calls us to discernment—not just asking if something sounds spiritual, but asking if it’s alive and producing life in us.

Mature faith doesn’t need to be dressed up. It can receive the Word whole and allow it to transform without hype or distraction. God is calling us out of what was described as “barbecue sauce Christianity,” where everything needs added flavor, antics, and entertainment. Mature faith can take in the Word as it is—trusting that it is already enough.

Finally, Dr. GreGory challenged us not to leave the work unfinished. The work God completed on the cross must be carried forward through us. Faith that isn’t shared stops growing, and the future of the church depends on what we do now.

As we step into this new year, let us cross the threshold of hope trusting what God has already finished—and committing to walk it out with obedience.