After I have completed this task. (Romans 15:28)
If you are going through a time of transition you don't need to get discouraged. You can make it through the transition and be the better for it. But you will need to work at some things Paul shares in the closing two chapters of his New Testament book to the Romans.
He had gone through many transitions in his life already and was at the time in another period of transition. For a number of years he planted churches and implemented strategies to reach the un-reached in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Greece and the Balkans. He was able to say in Romans 15:17, that his work in those areas was accomplished.
At the time he was taking an offering he received from the churches he’d planted for the poor in Jerusalem. It was not as exciting a task as reaching the unreached, which was his passion, but it was important for the bonding of Gentile and Jewish believers as the church grew and spread to other nations.
He hoped to get on with his passion of reaching the unreached by going to Spain after delivering the gift to the church in Jerusalem. En-route to this new unreached area he planned to stop in Rome.
He rejoiced and was encouraged by reflecting on past accomplishments. He was at peace and prayed for confidence to complete his present assignment. And he was stimulated to finish this task by getting it behind him so he would be free to pursue his goal of reaching Spain via Rome.
Seeing the past, present and future come together helped him mintain focus while going through transition, and this kept him from getting sidetracked or discouraged.
