GOALS…

Do you have goals for your life? I was pretty amazed in my teaching time at Southern, that most inmates had no goals at all, and in fact had never given it any thought! In my material, Healing For Damaged Emotions there are two chapters on setting goals and how to go about it. It even speaks to why we all should have goals for life. I really cannot think of a time in my own life when I did not have some goals…they may not have been consciously thought of as goals but they were there, and I was working toward them. I had an old friend who use to say, “you can’t get lost if you don’t go anywhere…” It is kind of a silly statement but when reflected on, true. You won’t get lost, but you also won’t accomplish anything. Human beings need goals, we need to be reaching for something, and some of our time with the Lord should be spent on asking and listening for Him to show us where He wants us “go.” When we neglect that dedicated time, we risk not hearing His direction.  James tells us “if any among you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally.” It doesn’t get much better than that…direction from God Himself.

So why don’t we seek answers from Him? I think primarily because we really are afraid of the answers!!!!! What will He want from me? Where will He want me to go? What kind of ministry will He direct me to? And apprehension sets in and we close our minds and hearts to His voice. Some times we do not ask Him early enough, we end up in a bad relationship, or a lot of debt or some other situation we do not think we can get ourselves out of. True, in many cases we cannot get ourselves out of situations, but if we are sincere and willing to follow, God will show us a way forward. He never will deny a willing heart. In the Old Testament, He tells us “God’s eyes roam to and fro, searching for some that will follow His lead.”

We need to set some short term as well as long term goals. Short term could be getting your affairs in order, perhaps getting  little more training or education. It could be a matter of spending some time serving in your local church to gain some experience. And, it helps to have Christian friends and mentors that can give you godly advice. Long term goals could be purchasing a home, or getting married, or going to college for the first time. All of these things are important and needless to say, they go along with seeking God’s input for your future. Another thing to ponder…goals are not set in stone, so be willing to be flexible, and do not be fearful of change. Lots of people do not like change at all, but it is an ongoing thing in life. If you resist it too much, you may really stunt your growth, so give it some thought…and good Providence!