January 3, 2020
Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.
Across many surveys, the top new year’s resolutions are to exercise/get in better shape, eat and/or be healthier, and to lose weight. These goals are the main reasons why gyms, especially preCOVID, target people the first of every year with memberships. Oddly enough people also make new year’s resolution to save more money, yet they pay for gym memberships which they rarely use as by spring many gym goers stop going to the gym and quit their workout plan altogether.
There are many reasons why people stop going to the gym and stop going so soon in the year, or just stop with their plans altogether. Some factors are expenses, time constraints, lack of immediate results, and their focus and commitment starts to dwindle. However, probably the main reason is lack of a well thought out plan.
Although, I’ve had gym memberships, I’ve never been a gym kind of person. I much prefer to workout at home or take some formal type of dance lessons, such as ballet because I love to dance. But I can relate to the new year’s resolution “fall off” in other ways. I too have made new year’s resolutions the first day of the new year, eager to make necessary changes, only to have them nearly forgotten by sometimes as soon as February.
I read books to help stick to my new year’s resolutions/plans, and they would help, temporarily. But I would have many setbacks and would become increasingly frustrated. It wasn’t until I turned to God and His word for answers that things truly turned around and I was able to be consistent in meeting my goals. God’s word really does have the answer for all of life’s problems. I learned some great tools from the books that I read, but my breakthrough in being consistent came from reading the word of God and seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance, constantly.
One thing that I had to resolve was why I was having trouble being consistent in the first place. I asked God to show me that and trusted Him to show me myself as He made me and knows me best. Immediately, the Holy Spirit began to show me things I never knew about myself. For example, I’ve always known that I am a morning person. But the Holy Spirit also showed me that I am at my best when I rise around 2:30am. I have sweet uninterrupted quiet time to spend with God during that time and hear His voice ever so clearly speaking to me. He reveals things to me that just blow my mind and shows me things and a better way of doing things. Psalms 139:1-3 O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
Once God showed me the why, I took my challenges to God in prayer and what really helped me was staying focused on doing everything as unto the Lord. I knew more than anything else that I did not want to disappoint the Lord, so everything I did, I did with God in mind, first. Just changing my mindset in that one thing, made all the difference.
In teaching nursing students, one thing that I taught them was how to use SMART tactics to reach their goals for patient care. The students who implemented these SMART tactics excelled higher and faster than other students who did not use them. The Lord showed me that these SMART tactics are just as relevant in reaching my goals in my walk with Him.
With the following modified SMART goals list, these 10 things are sure to help you successfully reach your goals this year.
1. Seek God for every plan/goal- Make sure your plan is in alignment with God’s plan. Pray over every single plan. Seek God’s answer and stamp of approval before proceeding with any plan. Ask yourself how will this glorify God? Ask God to grant it only if it’s in accordance with His will. 1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.
2. Your plan/goal must be specific- Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.- If you know that you want to lose weight- don’t just say Lord help me lose weight and then feel that God didn’t answer your prayers because you lost 1lb instead of the 20lbs that you really wanted to lose.
3. Your plan/goal needs to be measurable- What vision do you have for your goal after completion? What do you imagine your goal will look like? What evidence will let you know that you have achieved your goal? Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
4. Have a detailed roadmap for how you’ll achieve your goal. Every journey requires a roadmap, a set of directions. Otherwise, how will you know where you’re going? The Bible is our best roadmap to get us where we’re going. 2 Timothy 3:16-17- All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. God always gives very specific directions to whomever He sends to do His work. Read God’s word daily and ask God to show you things in His word to help you achieve your goal. Write your roadmap down step by step and refer to it often.
5. Have a timeframe in mind for completion of your plans/goals. Seek God on whether your timeframe aligns with His timeframe for completing your goals. Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven:
6. Ask in Jesus’ name. Jesus is the mediator between God and man. Therefore, anyone that comes to the Father must go through Jesus. John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
7. Your requests must be made in faith- If you have doubt you are already defeated. Trust God to give you the desires of your heart that are in accordance with His will. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
8. Thank God for what He’s already done according to your faith. When you thank God in advance for your requests, You are exercising your faith in Him. Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
9. Work your plan with a renewed mind that is stayed on Jesus. You must have a renewed mind Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. And put your plan into action with works, because faith without works is dead. James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
10. Be patient- Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls. Exercise patience. There’s purpose in the process.
By doing these things diligently and consistently, you are showing God that you are serious about achieving your goals and a diligent heart focused on God moves God. Recognize that there is absolutely nothing that you cannot achieve with God on your side. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost will be your best accountability partners to help you stay on track and coast you lovingly back on track should you falter along the way. Be gentle with yourself and firm at the same time. Know that God wants to help you reach your pinnacle of success. God wants to give you the desires of your heart. God wants to transform you. God wants to bless you to be who you were created to be all for His glory and honor. God wants to do a new thing in your life this year.
Also know that you will have challenges come up along the way. But when you commit your plan to the Lord with action and consistency and commit to your plan with the same - God will bless you to see your plan successfully through to completion. Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.
So set your goals, and with renewed commitment to the Lord and to your goals, prayer, diligence, faith, thanksgiving, and patience in Jesus name, go to work. You will have the best year ever despite the challenges that will arise because you will have Jesus as Your guide. And with Jesus as your guide, you can’t help but to successfully reach your destination.
Prayer:
Dear Father God,
Thank You Lord for the ability to plan and have goals. What a tremendous blessing. Thank You for showing me how to achieve my goals so that I can be better and do better for You, first and foremost. Holy Spirit, please continue to show me myself and how to be my best self. You made me Lord and know everything there is to know about me. I ask You to show me how to do my part to make this a successful year in reaching my goals, in accordance with Your will. Lord, I am eager for this journey and I praise You and thank You in advance in faith for what You’re going to do. I Love You Lord.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen
Copyright © 2020 Healing Restoration Ministries
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