One could easily argue that a New Year’s Resolution is a kind of goal. However, the difference I want to highlight is the amount of thought that is put into a goal versus a resolution. A resolution is often a spur of the moment kind of wish more than a contemplated goal one aspires to accomplish. Certainly the perennial “I need to lose those holiday pounds” is a worthwhile endeavor. I need to lose more than a few holiday pounds! But, in my message this past Sunday, I was thinking more of long-term, life-altering goals that arise from the dream that God births in us to be the person he created us to be.
Time is a precious commodity. You can make no more of it than you have. You can’t save it. You can, however, waste it, and that, unfortunately is what many of us do. Now, when some of us hear the phrase “wasted time,” we are apt to think about time that is lost in being lazy or a lack of efficiency in how we do things. While some of us have our lazy days and we might benefit from a more concentrated effort of time management techniques, the time wasted I am talking about is the time we spend doing things that lack two important requirements: 1. Eternal significance 2. Eternal purpose.
These two requirements, or filters, will go a long way in us deciding what goals we should strive to attain this year.
The first requirement is a question of values. What do I value? Are my values, my most deeply held beliefs, consistent with God’s values? What are God’s values, anyway? These are questions that must be answered if our lives ultimately have meaning. Think about it. The one life we get to live lasts how long? The healthiest among us will make it to 100 years. That sounds like a long time. When compared to eternity, however, it is nothing. This part of my life is extremely short. God has eternal plans for us. Do my values reflect God’s eternal values?
The most obvious place to go to discover God’s values is the Bible. You can go here to find some great tools to help you consistently and effectively read God’s Word. You will also want to be in church regularly to hear God’s Word applied to your life. You will also want to be a part of a small group Bible Study where you dig deeper and can hang out with people who are asking the same questions and seeking the same God-inspired answers as you.
The second requirement might be a little more difficult. What did God make me to do? You aren’t a random conglomeration of DNA molecules. You were created on purpose and for a purpose. The Bible is absolutely clear on this. God has shaped and molded you. He has blessed you with spiritual gifts, talents, and strengths. He intends for you to use the gifts he gave you to be a blessing on earth while you are living here. Although God’s values are eternal, one of the things he values the most is your life now. He wants your life to be tremendously blessed with his goodness and the fullness of his grace. He wants to work through you to share his blessing with others.
So, how do you find out about how God made you? How do you discover your gifts, talents, and strengths? Well, one way is to jump into serving others, to get involved in ministry. Each one of us is called to serve the way God has equipped us. At Christ Church we offer a seminar, “Discover Your Strengths,” where you can be tested to find out your spiritual gifts and strengths and then learn how to use those in your ministry, career, and home life. The seminar is followed up with an individualized coaching session. Even though this is a great tool to help, adopting a spirit of experimentation and jumping in and getting involved in ministry is one of the most effective ways of discovering how God has shaped you for service to others.
Are you spending your precious time on the things God has made you to do? Are you allowing others to set your agenda? What goals do you think you might want to set for yourself in 2011. Let me make a couple of suggestions:
1. Commit to reading the Bible, regularly and systematically. Go here for help.
2. Discover how God made you. Enroll in the next “Discover Your Strengths Seminar.”
3. If you can’t do #2, then just jump in. Ask where you can help. If you are a member or attender at Christ Church, check out this web page for more info.
God has a plan for you. Are you living it? God has a plan to prosper you, to give you a future and a hope. I hope that you are open to checking out his plan!