April 20
“If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
We’ve talked the last few days about having a life purpose and goals, recognizing the shortness of life, and planning for the judgment day when all our works will be revealed and tested by fire. The intention of this is to motivate us to RECOMMIT ourselves to full obedience and service to God.
You have heard the saying, “Many don’t plan to fail, they just fail to plan.” Do you set goals for your life? Do you have a plan to achieve those goals? Are your goals godly goals, getting you ready for your judgment day and all of eternity, or are they goals set to increase your happiness and pleasure in this life? Resist the temptation to make happiness your goal in life. Make certain that holiness and faithful service to Christ are at the center of your goals. Beware of those who advise otherwise.
For example, one friend who was struggling with certain issues in life went to a local Christian counselor who advised him to make a “bucket list” (a bucket list is a list of things you want to do before you die) and work on doing the things on that list. Really? Is that all the Christian counseling community has for people? Is having enjoyable experiences truly going to benefit us on the judgment day? Have goals and a purpose that is centered on Christ and bringing Him glory, goals that serve others rather than serve ourselves, and we will have more joy and sense of accomplishment than any goals whose purpose is to experience things in this life and make ourselves happy.
Take time now to write on a piece of paper your life purpose and goals.
Having written your life purpose and goals, do you have a plan for achieving those goals? What can you do to achieve the goals? What is hindering you from achieving your life purpose? What can you do to eliminate the hindrances and improve your ability to achieve the goals?
Do you regularly review your goals and plans and make any needed adjustments to ensure that you are on track to achieving the goals? Do you have yearly goals that are aimed at helping you achieve your life goals? Do you write out monthly goals aimed at achieving your life’s goals? Do you write out weekly and daily goals aimed at helping to accomplish your monthly goals? These are the kinds of things you should be thinking about and doing to help keep you on track to achieving your life purpose and goals.
Take time now to write out your plan for achieving your life purpose and goals.
Two books along these lines that I recommend to you are The Purpose Drive Life by Rick Warren and Today Matters by John C. Maxwell. These books will help you focus on your purpose in life and path to achieve it, all for the glory of Christ. Regularly write down your goals and tasks for the year, month, week, and day. Think often about the question, “How do these tasks enable me to achieve my life purpose and goals? What do I need to be doing to bring more glory to Christ with my time, gifts, and resources?” Pray to God to enable you to change whatever you need to change to make your life count for Him and to hear on your judgment day, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.”