The Gift of Intentional Endings

“One day, as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon Peter and his brother, Andrew, throwing their nets into the water, for they fished for a living.  Jesus called to them, ‘Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!’  Immediately, they left their nets and followed him.”

Mark 1:16-18

Notes for Contemplation as You Use this Devotional:

• This passage from the Gospel Writer Called Mark comes from the section titled, “Jesus Calls the First Disciples.”
• Jesus’s call offers brothers Peter and Andrew a way to live and work differently if they choose to follow. His desire to teach them how “to fish for people” encourages Peter and Andrew to relinquish their occupation as fisherman so they can provide spiritual food, nourishment for the soul.
• While it may seem abrupt to give up a good job, the power of our God calling is undeniable. It requires the intentional end of one type of life in favor of a more fulfilling one. It also reminds us that we don’t always initiate endings, but that we can profit from them.
• Intentional endings are part of our spiritual transformation and personal growth. They’re the courageous leaps of faith we take when we trust in a richer experience. So, rather than see ourselves as victims of change, we’re empowered to invest our energy and efforts in something greater than has been.
• Examples of intentional endings include:
  • things which conclude naturally, like spring becoming summer;
  • graduating from high school to attend university;
  • completing an apprenticeship and becoming a licensed professional;
  • changing careers to have deeper, creative expression;
  • discontinuing an obsolete product line;
  • selling a business and retiring;
  • shifting from full-time parent to empty-nester;
  • planning for succession.
• Often, our intuition reveals when something is concluding. With intentional endings, we’ll likely experience some sadness and stress, but we’ll also feel a sense of completion. Furthermore, when we can be grateful for what was, we can joyfully anticipate what’s next, seeing it a natural progression of our soul’s unfoldment.
• Demonstration is the evidence you can see of what is or isn’t working in your life.You demonstrate your spiritual maturity and ability to let go gracefully as you accept change and actively participate in your own transformation.
• In his 2011 book, Necessary Endings: The Employees, Businesses, and Relationships That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Move Forward, Psychologist Henry Cloud explains that “without the ability to end things, people stay stuck, never becoming who they are meant to be, never accomplishing all that their talents and abilities should afford them. . . . For there to be anything new, old things always have to end, and we have to let go of them.”

Contemplation Questions:

As you reflect on your life and circumstances, ask yourself:

• What am I being called to be, have, and/or do now?
  • List, word map, or illustrate the calling.

• What must I relinquish (end) to live this new call?
  • List, word map, or illustrate as much as you imagine.

• When I imagine the ending,
  • what do I need for closure?
    • List, word map, or illustrate as much as you imagine.
  • what do others need for closure?
    • List, word map, or illustrate as much as you imagine.

• When I imagine the ending,
  • what do I need for celebration?
    • List, word map, or illustrate as much as you imagine.
  • what do others need for celebration?
    • List, word map, or illustrate as much as you imagine.

• As I imagine a bright future, what are at least three (3) gifts I’m receiving from this ending?
  • List, word map, or illustrate as many gifts as you can.

Use this devotional anytime you’re considering or preparing for an intentional ending.  Be gentle with yourself as you discern what’s necessary for your process.  Trust your intuition, even if you can’t fully envision a complete outcome.  Especially, honor your journey—where you’ve been and what you’ve achieved—so you can embrace and enjoy a bright future.

© 2023 – Rev Jennifer L. Sacks – All rights reserved.

Photo from Shutterstock by Helen Hotson.