Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ' Philippians 3:13-14
You’re on the road and realize that the road signs and landmarks don’t line up with where you thought you were going. You don’t want to waste time and gas by heading in the wrong direction. What do you do? You pull over, figure out where in the world you are, and check your navigation to make sure you are on the right track! Then you fine-tune your directions and get back on the road.
So, where are you on your journey toward fulfilling your divine destiny? Where are you in fulfilling the goals you have set? One of the most important things you can do to keep making progress is to stop and re-evaluate your goals. Every goal needs a tune-up!
Here are some reasons why.
Your circumstances have changed since you set your goal. You don’t know what you don’t know, but you also don’t know what lies ahead. The combination of those two truths cause your goals to need constant re-evaluation. When you set your goal, it was based on what you knew at the time. And since you don’t have a crystal ball, there are things that you just couldn’t foresee. You set your goal based on your projections. So, now it’s time to ask yourself: What is different now than when I set my goal? What did I not foresee and how is that affecting my ability to make progress? What do my current circumstances say about how I should adjust the specifics of my goal?
You were too ambitious when you set your goal. You believe in your own abilities and God’s grace to help you accomplish great things. That is awesome! You really can do all things through His strength, but “all things” means the things that God has set for you to accomplish. His goals for you and your goals for yourself may not always line up. And your assessment of how much time it may take to accomplish God’s goals may not always be accurate.
So, was your big, ambitious goal, God’s plan, or yours? That’s a hard question and one that needs to be addressed prayerfully. You need the Holy Spirit to illuminate this one for you. Also, if it is God’s goal for you, were you realistic in evaluating the amount of time it would take to accomplish your goal? Those unforeseen changes in your circumstances might be affecting the speed of your forward progress. Did you give yourself enough time?
Your perspective has shifted since you set your goal. You and I are always in progress. We are gratefully in God’s hands to be shaped by His grace. There are things He has done within you since you set your goal. Does it still excite you? Is it still something that you want to do? Are you experiencing a lack of motivation simply because this goal doesn’t align with what is important to you anymore? That happens! And it is okay! Be brutally honest with yourself: Is this goal something I still want to accomplish? Answering that question may be key to finding your motivation or releasing yourself from the pressure of trying to accomplish something that doesn't matter to you anymore.
Dear Friend, your goals are precious. You prayerfully crafted them with God and see them as a gift and a charge. However, periodically re-evaluating your goals polishes them up and helps them shine. That shine will reinvigorate and remotivate you so that you keep making progress toward your divine destiny. Time to pull over and re-orient. It’s time for a tune-up!
Key Question: Do my goals need adjustment?
A Scripture to Consider: Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ' Philippians 3:13-14
A YES Challenge: Review the goals you set earlier in the year and ask yourself some questions. Were you too ambitious? Have your circumstances changed? Is this goal still important to you? Give yourself time to truly answer each question.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the goals that You have helped me set. Thank You for the vision You have helped me develop for the future. I want to do all that You have created me to do and be all that You created me to be. Help me to honestly evaluate my goals so that I can keep making progress toward the divine destiny that You have for me. Amen.
