- Accomplishments (big or small)
- Fellowship
- Knowledge gained
- Happy moments
- Progress towards goals (big or small!)
- Travel or activities
- Giving
- Hospitality
You think your New Year’s goals didn’t work out? Well, look what God DID work out in you!
Maybe it doesn’t line up with YOUR original goals, but… you’ll see God’s faithful guidance, when you “plan from behind.” Toss last year’s goals list and write the still-current year at the top of this amazing list!
STRENGTHEN WHAT REMAINS
Looking back on my goals to restore six areas of life last year, a few areas definitely fell flat (like exercise! ahhh).
As I felt the familiar discouragement, God brought to mind a scrap of a verse: “strengthen the things that remain.” That phrase ran through my head, although I couldn’t recall the context. I looked it up and it’s from Revelation, to the church at Sardis (Rev 3:2). Oh great! I thought. Totally out of context! Ha!
But I saw a practical application. Sardis had a reputation for living but being dead. Don’t we do this!? We “live” through goal-setting and aspirations, but by year-end, our fire has fizzled. Our motivation lies near-dead and we feel we failed.
To me, this verse is a practical reminder that not all is lost. There are“things that remain,” things we need keep alive!
When I sift through the events of the year, I see God’s hand, working progress in me.
I have more work to do. Sure, we all do. I need to “strengthen the things that remain” and not reverse the progress.
WHAT IF WE ALL LOOKED AT GOALS DIFFERENTLY?
Guess what? Goals shouldn’t discourage us; they should encourage us to focus our lives. The truth: we’ll always be “pressing toward the mark.” We won’t truly reach our goal until we’re home with the Lord and hear that “Well done…” Until then, when your New Year’s goals didn’t work out…
Reflect on God’s goodness, restore with God’s grace, and rest in God’s guidance for the future.
***
This post originally appeared at happystronghome.com, published with permission.
