Jack and I try to be as active as time allows. Having a tennis court in the apartments has been helpful. We both loved to run, but since life doesn’t allow that currently, we have resorted to whatever other option we can find. Our sports equipment stash has grown quite a bit since we’ve been married. We could now host quite a few sports games. Yesterday we went to attempt basketball at a nearby court. Let’s just say, I am not good at basketball. The audience we had only added to my poor athletic ability on the court. I shoot better than I do guard, but even at that I’m more of a Kyle Singler than a Russell Westbrook. However, imagine if we got to the court and I was struggling my hardest to attempt to play, but there were no baskets. Running back and forth, up and down the court with the ball, to what purpose? Points remain at 0-0 indefinitely. We would only frustrate and exhaust ourselves but get nowhere. The problem with having no goal is you can run up and down the court forever and never score. As Christians, students, employees, spouses… I feel as though we too, at times, run around life with good intention of making a basket, but we have no specific goal in mind, or it is beyond our visibility of achievement. Consequently, we aimlessly run back and forth fully intending to reach the goal, but unsure exactly what it looks like. We desire to be the best employees we can be; to be bold witnesses to our coworkers, loyal workers to our employers, and hold a godly testimony at work, but continue living life the same we always have hoping that somehow the ball will miraculously fall into the basket. We face mountains we know we must climb and overcome, but do not necessarily adjust our lives to do so. We desire to be godly and righteous, to love and invest in others, but the desire alone will not get you there. We know we should have a better prayer life but continue on just as we have previously. Such a feat does not just happen.
“The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach.” -Benjamin Mays “People with goals succeed because they know where they are going.” -Earl Nightingale Paul had goals he was focusing on, and that gave him a direction to go. Philippians 3.13-14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” College may be behind me now, but the things I gained from those years I carry with me. Something I began doing after my first semester was setting short-term goals; to-do-lists; things to focus on for the upcoming 3 - 4 month period (usually a summer, or a semester). Then those things would be reevaluated and adjusted accordingly. I was gently reminded yesterday to refocus on those things. I want to encourage you all as much as I am myself to first of all, set goals in your life. Something as practical as to be a more productive, disciplined person, a better witness, overcome some specific struggle in your life, being more consistent with devotions, or “finally write that book”. You first must have a goal. And this said goal should be, of course, a godly goal. (James 4.13-15) “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow……For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” Without a goal in basketball, there is no point to play, and unless Christ is your purpose, and guide of your goals, they are worthless. Next, set a plan to achieve the goal. “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Basketball players spend hours learning the plays which can be extremely complex. The coach will describe the play to them and then they are set to the court with that plan in mind so they can play it out. We must also set a plan in motion, or it is like a player who runs onto the court with the ball, but paid no attention to the play, and is just “hoping” that somehow he is going to manage to get the ball into the basket. Consider what it means, or looks like, to achieve that specific goal. Break it down. Not all goals can be measured by physical examination, but lets just say for an example that you want to have a more disciplined life. What areas would your life need to be improved for you to accomplish that goal? Waking up at a specific time so you are ready to start the day? Staying on task and completing them? Not being late to work? Now break it down even further. What things will you need do to make sure that it happens? When the alarm goes off, put the feet to the floor? Turn off your phone so there are no distractions? Leave 10 minutes early? Create your own personal “plan” for your goals. This is not to say that you can achieve anything in your own power, because that is absolutely false. “…With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19.26) You absolutely need to look to the Lord to help you do anything in life. Anything we could hope to accomplish is only achieved by the help and grace of God – no matter how “small”. No amount of “determination” or “self-will” is going to keep you going, and this is where it goes back to: Make sure you set godly goals. Lastly, set reminders to help you stay focused, and/or accountability if needed. Set a reminder to go off the same time each week to cause you to refocus on the Lord and the goals you have set before yourself. If we have neglected to give due attention, it can set you back where you need to be. The coach is continually yelling at the players to stay focused, maybe you need someone to be that one in your life. In every area of my life, this practice has been incredibly beneficial. So, allow me to challenge you: Set godly goals, create a plan to accomplish those goals, and have reminders/accountability to keep you on track.
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January 2023
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