Good morning, happy Saturday and happy New Year! Say goodbye to 2021 and welcome and new and exciting year. One thing is for certain, it will likely be unpredictable, and yet filled with opportunities and challenges. The question is how are you going to face it? How will you hope to navigate this year? Maybe one idea would be to spend more time in God’s Word and prayer and less time on Facebook complaining about everything. That would be a good start for many people. Of course, there are other things we could spend less time doing like binge watching the latest series on Netflix, mindlessly surfing the net, eating everything in sight, sleeping in and then going to bed early to make up for it, etc. Each day that God gives us is a gift. Let us do our best to keep that in mind and to use it wisely. Never forget that in everything we do we are actually trading a portion of our life to do it.
Each year I make my goals in a few categories. I have done this for years and it has helped me to stay on track. Most of the items are fairly consistent from year to year so it doesn’t take much time to update them. I add a few specific line items to the list and then keep a copy handy to review the progress. That way I can make periodic adjustments and determine if I am pursuing them with reckless abandon or inconsistent indifference. Sometimes I can have the satisfaction of making good progress, other times I need an attitude adjustment on top of my head. Fortunately, the Lord has allowed me to continue to move forward in many areas and has guided me through this throughout the years.
In case it might be helpful for you, here are the categories I use:
Spiritual – includes things like reading through the Bible, prayer, Scripture memory, reading books on theology, missions.
Emotional – includes things like reading books, intentional times away, day trips, hobbies.
Physical – includes preparing more meals at home versus fast food, going for walks, not eating ice cream seven evenings a week.
Financial – includes goals for giving, raising funds for Haiti, a predetermined spending plan (budget), savings.
One thing that I have found helpful is to set an actual number with as many of the items as possible. For instance, I find it easier if I set a goal of reading one book from the Counterpoints series per month rather than a more general attempt at just reading through the series. However, figure out what works best for you and give it a try.
While I am and have always been a planner, it is very important to pray through your plans and goals. It is interesting how God will often modify or changes some of the plans that you make. After all, everything really fits under the broadest topic of spiritual, because that is who you are.
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. 15 Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it. (James 4:13-17)
2022 has arrived. Let us do our best to use it for His glory and honor!
From our neighborhoods to the nations,
Pastor Larry
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