The end of the year is upon us. It is when we begin to think about what we have accomplished in the current year and our hopes for the upcoming year. I often need to catch up when I compare my accomplishments with my goals. Sometimes, I fall short because I didn’t use my time wisely, other times because of sickness, or still other times, life threw a hard stop at me. This mismatch causes me frustration. I let my friends and family, more importantly, God, down.
Self-doubt and discouragement set in. I hear the enemy say, “You’ll never write that book. You’re a terrible writer. You’re ugly, too fat. You’ll never get married.” The barrage of what I haven’t accomplished or what I’m not—continues to assail my mind. I’m overwhelmed and stop pursuing the dreams and goals God has planted in my heart. But God sends His Holy Spirit to remind me that everything occurs in His timing and season. I’m also reminded that to accomplish our dreams, and we can’t do it alone—we need a team and must do the following:
Pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17 ESV). Prayer changes us and our perspective. When the doubts assail me, I pray for the assault to stop. Then thank God when it does. Sometimes it occurs immediately; other times, it takes a while.
Recommit to Jesus and our goals (Romans 12:2). God’s way is not our way, and we must allow our minds to be transformed and turn to learn His good and perfect will for our lives.
Remember that Jesus rewards and encourages us (2 Chronicles 15:7 NLT).
Rejoice in all the good things God has given us (Deuteronomy 26:11). The Bible reminds us to rejoice during the trial.
Finally, gather our team. We need a team when we can’t fight or pray for ourselves. Ecclesiastes 4:12(NLT) says, “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back to back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Our team should be believers who care about what’s best for us and our interests.
These steps help us to continue pursuing our goals for the Kingdom of God. If we’ve given up on our God-given dream, we must GATHER OUR TEAM and fight on! God will not fail us, and we’ll be rewarded.
Prayer: Jesus, please give me the right team of people who will push me to do greater in and for your Kingdom. Help me with my discernment and direction. Show me how to be a faithful friend and team player. Amen.
Your Turn: Are you at a crossroads with your goals? Have you started praying about your God-given dreams? Please share your strategies for achieving your vision for your next season in life.
Comments