It’s the time of year where most of us are evaluating goals and making plans for the upcoming year. Some people look down on New Year’s resolutions, but I say that setting annual goals is a good thing. I believe the Lord gives us months, seasons, and years so that we can look back on His faithfulness over time and think intentionally about the future. Goals, resolutions, or whatever you call them are good as long they are the result of time in humble intentional prayer. Here are three thoughts to that end:
Recognize your own limitations
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.
James 4:13-15 ESV
James warns us against declaring in our own certainty what we will do in the future. Why? Because you simply don’t know what tomorrow will bring. He likens us to a mist; something transient or temporary. Instead of trusting in your own limited knowledge, seek the will of our Father who knows all things.
Live with the end in mind
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 21:4 ESV
As the children of God we know the end of the story. John tells us in Revelation 21:4 that in eternity, “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Reality is often discouraging, but we look forward to an even greater reality where the pains of this life are simply referred to as the former things. We look forward to living in the immediate presence of God where we will find comfort for all the afflictions of this life. Live, think, and plan as if this is where you are headed! Press forward in life with the comfort of this truth.
Trust in the promises of God
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Psalm 37:3-4 ESV
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Do you believe that God is faithful? Do you believe that He is good and that He works things out for your good? Then trust Him! David teaches us that having confidence in God leads to a pursuit of Him. We are called to delight, or find our highest satisfaction in Christ. And when you find your highest satisfaction in God and His Word, you receive all that your heart desires. Not because God can be manipulated, but because, like David, your heart aligns with His. So you desire, and pray for the same things that God wants for you.
Prayer/Journal prompts
- Are you living with your (eternal) end in mind or focusing more on day to day. Why?
- Do you need to repent of boastful arrogance about planning in your own strength or lack of trust in the faithfulness of God?
- Lay your annual goals in prayer before the Lord. Ask, “Lord do these align with your will for me?”
- Ask Jesus this year to lead you into trusting and delighting in Him more.
Your kingdom come,
Matthew 6:10 ESV
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
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