Cliche Sayings for a "Not So Cliche" Time..."Everything Will Work Out in the End"

by Kendra Rueckert

Appropriately I saved this phrase for my last article in the series, “Everything will work out in the end”. It’s a nice feel good phrase, right? It implies that in “the end” everything will be packed in a nice little package with a bow on top. You will sit back and sigh saying, “All my work and toil has paid off, now I can enjoy the fruits of my labor.”

The flaw in this statement is that while Christ did give us life to live to the full, we are never to be off our guard. We work in this life filled with the joy of Jesus towards the certain hope of heaven. We work in this life to bring others the joy of knowing Jesus and also gaining this hope. This is our single purpose…even in our unemployment or current circumstances. We are called to live out our vocation, or our calling, using our gifts to glorify God.

In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul summarizes his work with the statement of confidence. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” While he too was human, his work, his passion, and his purpose could not be torn apart from his faith in Christ. So, how about you? For reflection, I invite you to read the lyrics from the song “Legacy” by Nicole Nordeman.

I want to leave a legacy. How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?

Did I point to You enough to make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering:
A child of mercy and grace who blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy.

I don’t mean to scare you into making a list of all the things you need to do. I don’t mean to write as someone who has it all figured out. Instead, I write these things as someone who also needs to hear them. With this reflection, we must know that by ourselves we are powerless to do anything on our own. It is only through and by the Spirit that we are able to leave this legacy. Our perfect Savior who died and rose in ultimate power and glory invites us to come and be a part of his family. Through the waters of baptism we too can lead a new life daily…a life of legacy.

When you pause and think about it, everything can work out in the end. However, we must consider this end to be the completion of our life on earth. In this way then, the “everything” is our reward in heaven. Until that day pray to be strong in the fight of life and its unpredictable circumstances to finish the race all the while keeping the faith.