A story doesn’t usually start with the words “the end.” What, after all, does “the end” mean? It means something is over, something has concluded, or something is finished.
Do you remember the old-school Disney movies? “The End” was almost always a happy ending, and the characters were presumed to live happily ever after. Well, “the end,” as it relates to coming to “the end of ourselves,” has a similar meaning in that something has come to a conclusion, and what lies ahead will result in living purposely “happily ever after” into eternity. This says a whole lot, doesn’t it? But I have discovered that as we come to “the end” of ourselves, we truly experience what it means to follow Christ for God’s glory, which results in His intrinsic joy both now and forevermore.
Has it ever happened to you?
Have you come to the end of yourself?
Personally, I don’t believe it happens just one time but many times in our Christian pilgrimage.
Why is it necessary that believers “come to the end ourselves”? To submit to and carry out God’s will.
How do we come to the end of ourselves, and what does “coming to the end” of ourselves even look like? How is not concrete, necessarily. Meaning that the dynamics of who we are, and the circumstances of our lives are varied across the scope of people. But we know it when it happens. What it looks like is different for different people. However, what seems to be similar is the realization (maybe even in a very drastic way) that we are not in control at all. So, we give up our pseudo-control over our lives, the lives of others, and life’s circumstances – all the things and people that have overwhelmed us. At this point, we call on God. (I am assuming this is the case for most of us. Even if we call on someone or something else, eventually, when we realize that they or it does not have any control either, we still arrive at calling on God.)
When should we come to the end of ourselves?
Now. Unfortunately, it may not be that easy because we put a lot of stock in ourselves and our capabilities. But if we pray and say it over ourselves, then God helps us facilitate the speed of our surrender, of our submission.
Who meets us at the end of ourselves? God does. Jesus does. The Holy Spirit does. God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one; so, God in His Fullness does.
Where do we go at the end of ourselves? We follow Jesus Christ, learning what He taught, doing what He did, saying what He said, and living how He lived.
One of the verses that best guides us in coming to the end of ourselves is Luke 9:23, which explains that being a disciple of Jesus means denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and following Jesus. In others, we lose our lives for Jesus’ sake. We immerse our lives in Christ and allow Him to do the same in us (John 15:5). You might say this just isn’t possible. Well, if we aim to do this daily, it will become our reality over time. Ask yourself, what can I do to be more like Jesus today than I was yesterday? What do I need to die to today? Of course, this cannot happen in your own strength. The Holy Spirit helps us to do this as we encounter the happenings of our day. As we do this, day by day, step by step, and moment by moment, we arrive at “the end” ourselves and experience the abundant life Jesus came to give us no matter the circumstance. He is for us, not against us. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Jesus has shown us that He loves us.
Please allow me to testify. Coming to the end of yourself may not be pretty, and it may not feel good, either. At least, that was my experience. Once upon a time, many, many years ago, my sense of stability and security in the way life seemed to be going disintegrated. What I thought was real, comfortable, and under control wasn’t. I was paralyzed emotionally and spiritually. I wish I could say that I prayed instantly. No, I went into DIY mode, trying to repair what had been broken, thinking all the time that what needed to be fixed was external to me.
Well, as you may have guessed, none of that worked. So, I found myself crying out to God, literally. And this wasn’t pretty at all. I can’t tell you what all I said, but the outcome was God revealing to me that I had placed other people, including myself, in front of Him, which in biblical lingo was idolatrous and cloaked with pride. But God, in His compassion, mercy, and grace, helped me come to the end of myself and put Him first above all else, especially myself (my ways and my thoughts and my rationale). He worked on me and worked on me and worked on me. And He still is in that the more I come to know Him, who He is, what He has done, and what He does through the Word, I find myself coming to the end of more of myself day by day, happening by happening, circumstance by circumstance. And you know what, I am glad about it.
Is this my happily ever after? I believe so. Why? Because I can see just how good the Good
News is. So, I can live in God’s Goodness because He really does love us. You see, coming to the end of myself was difficult and painful, but it was for my good and for God’s glory. Did I say, “I am glad about it”? I really am! All my trust is in God. God loved us, this whole world, and sent His one and only begotten Son to save us from our sins. Jesus Christ loved us and laid down His life for us and rose from the dead with all power in heaven and on earth. Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to be with us and in us. Life just can’t get any better than that on this side of heaven. And our life in Christ continues far past the restraints of life on this earth to our life with Christ in eternity.