"I'm Finished" a Guest Post by Janey Goude

Funny how two little words (actually three, for the grammarians among us) can have so many different meanings. 

When my child says, “I’m finished,” she usually means, “I hope this is good enough. I can do what I want now.” When my husband says, “I’m finished,” he generally means he’s done all he intends to do. The task isn’t complete, but his contribution to the process has ended. When I say, “I’m finished,” I’m typically making a selfish declaration. I’ve done all I want to do, all I intend to do, and all I feel I should be expected to do. 

I often feel justified, believing I have contributed more than my fair share. Sometimes I convey the sentiment without uttering a word. There are times when I reach my wits’ end with the duties of motherhood: cleaning the kitchen half a dozen times a day, folding the fourth load of laundry, settling the seventh argument over schoolwork. I throw my hands up and raise my voice in frustration, “I’m finished!” 

There are seasons in which my marriage requires entirely too much effort. 

Well-meaning family and friends tell me I deserve better. I believe them. Bolstered by the opinions of those who love me, I decide my happiness is of paramount importance and declare, “I’m finished!”

But I see a very different picture of these words in John 19:30 as Jesus says, “It is finished.” When I look at the cross, I don’t see a selfish declaration focused on personal happiness. He isn’t saying, “I’ve done all I intend to do. Someone else can finish this task.” 

It’s easy to overlook Jesus’ humanness in the crucifixion story. He is, after all, Jesus. He knew why he came to earth. But Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane appears very human, asking in Luke 22:42, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done.” 

Matthew and Luke both paint a picture of the magnitude of this moment. 

Jesus didn’t ask once or twice for a reprieve, but three times. Jesus’ own words provide insight into his state of mind—“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). Even after the angel strengthened him, Luke 22:44 tells us he was still in anguish so that “He prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” 

Jesus wasn’t relishing his journey to the cross or the moment when the Two would no longer be One. For a time, the Trinity would cease to exist: that moment in Mark 15:34 when Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” As Jesus took upon himself the sin of humankind, his holy Father turned his back and looked away. God can have nothing to do with sin, not even when it is on his precious Son. 

The excruciating pain the Father and Son must have experienced in the moment when their oneness ripped apart is inconceivable to my human mind. Yet, knowing what was to come, Jesus saw his assignment through to its end. He completed what he started, uttering, “It is finished.” 

What if he hadn’t? 

What if, like me, he believed his friends who said, “You don’t have to do this. You deserve better”?

What if he had turned and walked away? 

Where would we be? 

Graciously, God loved us enough not to take the cup of suffering from Jesus. As a result, we have the opportunity to walk in relationship with God—today and throughout eternity. 

Does he expect less of me today?

I’m thankful that when I said, “I’m finished” to my marriage, God responded, “This is my marriage, not yours.” 

He wouldn’t let me walk away. 

His eternal plan is bigger than my temporary happiness. His power to resurrect is greater than any death I face. Marriages, finances, relationships, jobs, health—nothing is too hard for God. 

I wish I could hear him this clearly every day in every situation. 

I wonder how many times I miss the opportunity to see his resurrection power at work in my life because, in weariness, I selfishly say, “I’m finished,” instead of completing what God started and declaring, “It is finished.” 

Janey Goude is a writing and editing professional who specializes in collaborating with authors and businesses to create high impact communication. She and her husband, Darren, have been married for 21 years and live in Lexington with their four children.
You can reach Janey at janeygoude@sc.rr.com



I'll be speaking to the lovely ladies of Herald 5 homeschool group on Thursday, April 25, at 6:45 at Three Rivers Baptist Church,7452 Broad River Rd., Irmo, SC. My topic will be "Ten Mistakes I Made While Homeschooling." Guests are welome. If you're a homeschooling parent or interested in learning more about homeschooling, please join us. For more information, visit
www.herald5.com.

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