We live in a world that celebrates milestones. People commonly get excited and make a point of commemorating graduation ceremonies, promotions, retirements, weddings, anniversaries, etc. — each marking a moment of achievement, a goal reached, a chapter closed. From childhood we’re conditioned to chase goals. When we have a child, it doesn’t end at the birth, it only starts there. Children learn to crawl, then walk, then run. A student works hard to finish high school, then often moves on to a job, further education, or job training. A young professional earns a promotion, then sets their sights on the next rung of the ladder. Upon retirement, many find themselves building or moving into their dream homes, finally having time to start traveling, beginning new ventures, etc. In our secular lives, when reaching a goal we rarely say, “I’m done,” and then stop moving. We move onward and continue towards the next thing. But how does this contrast with our spirituality?
When it comes to our spiritual lives, we sometimes treat milestones differently. We may reach a goal—perhaps baptism, church membership, participating in a challenging outreach opportunity, or even attending worship service—and then take it easy. We assume the hard part is over. We’ve arrived. However, the truth is that in Christ’s kingdom, milestones are not endpoints…they are invitations to deeper purpose.
Ø Only God Decides When Our Work Is Done
Psalm 139:16 reminds us, “Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.” Our timeline is not ours to set. God alone knows when our earthly pilgrimage is complete. Until then, we are called to live with purpose. Observe wise King Solomon’s remarks in Ecclesiastes 12:13–14, “The end of the matter, all that has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Our duty to God, our purpose, doesn’t expire with age, achievement, or retirement. Philippians 1:6 encourages us, “…He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” If God is still working in our lives, why would we stop?
Ø Reaching a Goal Is Not the Same as Fulfilling Our Purpose
Milestones are meaningful. They mark progress but are not the end of the journey. An athlete doesn’t retire after one race. A musician doesn’t stop playing after one concert. Likewise, the Christian doesn’t stop moving forward after one spiritual breakthrough.
Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many thoughts are in a man’s heart, but it is the purpose of Yahweh that will stand.” We can’t forget that though we may have great ideas about what we should be doing, God’s purpose for us is preeminent. We must not confuse accomplishments with completion.
Ø Crossing a Finish Line Isn’t Permission to Coast Spiritually
Too often, new believers feel like they are done because they found God, yet He requires so much more from us than simple belief to be found faithful. If we open the scriptures and truly hear what our Lord asks of us, we will see the need to always progress to the next step. Acts 2 in the New Testament shows how the church (believing Christians) began, but if you keep reading you’ll see that the church grew and had so much more to do than merely ‘begin.’ We cannot, even as seasoned Christians, settle into a sort of spiritual autopilot.
Jesus didn’t stop fulfilling God’s will at the cross. Hebrews 12:1-3 reveals that when Jesus had endured the cross and died for all, God resurrected Him and He now sits at His right hand. This passage teaches that Jesus sat down at God’s honored right hand as a reward for His obedience and calls us to also live a life of fulfilling God’s purpose like He did. Yet, this isn’t sitting and doing nothing. God’s plan for Jesus did not end with His crucifixion, it was the transition point for Him to begin serving as our King and High Priest (Hebrews 8:1–2), mediating for us. Christ continued serving God’s purpose even after the great milestone of the cross, and we need to keep serving God’s purpose the entire journey of life.
Ø The Christian Always Continues to Grow and Bear Fruit
Growth is not reserved for the young. Psalm 92:12–14 proclaims that the righteous will, “grow like a cedar in Lebanon” and “still yield fruit in old age, they shall be rich and fresh to declare that, ‘Yahweh is upright, He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.’” The Lebanese Cedar is known for its longevity, with documented specimens well over a thousand years old. These trees continue to grow and produce cones throughout their lives. They don’t stop bearing fruit because they’re old, and the same goes for aging Christians. 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 helps us understand how this is possible, “..though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” Your spiritual vitality is not tied to a physical condition; God renews us for His eternal purpose.
Ø Conclusion: Milestones Are Invitations to More
All facets of our lives…career, family, ministry, personal growth…must be subject to God’s will and His timeline. We aren’t called to drift along a lazy river after achieving a goal. We are called to press forward, to grow, to continue bearing fruit.
Whether a new believer or a seasoned saint, the question should be: “What’s next, Lord?” This question shows humility, love for Him, and readiness to act. It reminds us that our journey is not over until God says so.
So, let’s give thanks and celebrate our milestones, but not mistake them for finish lines. Let’s treat them as the next launchpad to deeper purpose, greater service, and closer fellowship with God.
Jeff Mullen
Blanco Hills Church
8305540701
blancohillschurch@gmail.com