4:33 – Revising Goals Isn’t Failure

#faithbites #faithjourney revising

Setting

“I want to be a faculty developer when I grow up.”, said no one ever. I love my job., especially when I see faculty “get it’. Their demeanor changes, they light up and are ready to take on the next challenge.

If you asked my 5-year-old self, what I wanted to be, he would say an astronaut. My high school self would say a high school chemistry teacher. But how did I end of as a director of faculty development? I wish I could say it was through planning, focus, and determination. Most of it was just going with the flow and letting God take me where he wanted me. At the same time, I was activily revising my goals. My high school self didn’t know about this job, didn’t have a wife and kids, or any of the responsiblities I have now. The world was different.

Does that mean I wouldn’t have been a good high school chemistry teacher? Not at all. It means that through my life, I revised my goals and dreams based on what was going on. It has only been of late that I truly invited God in those discussion to ask him what he wanted me to do.

Today’s questions: What goals are you actively working on? Have you taken the time to review and revise them? If not, why not? If yes, is God part of this revision?

Scripture

• Psalm 20:4 – May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.
• Jeremiah 17:7 – “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
• Matthew 6:33 – But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Reflection

I may sound like a broken record, but God wants you to be happy. He wants us to experience everything he has to offer. At the same time, God has plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11) to succeed. We also make plans. Sometimes, those plans align with Gods, sometimes they don’t. If you are struggling with your plans and goals, maybe that is God trying to tell you something. We are told to always seek God’s kingdom and righteousness.

Let’s think about that. If we seek his kingdom and righteousness, what can happen? First, God can say you are doing great, keep going. Second, he may say, nah you need make small tweaks to your plan. Third, he may give you a wake up call and a whole new direction. None of these are bad. It’s God telling you to revise your plans for success. A key to this is that we can’t hold so strongly to our goals that we miss the point or what God is trying to tell us.

Heck, if I held strongly to my original goal of being a high school chemistry teacher, I can almost guarantee I wouldn’t be married to my wife, have my kids, my house, or anything that I do. Who knows were I would be be. God had other plans for me and my life. I trust in him even when it’s hard.

As we close, take another look at your goals. Are you ready to revise them? If so, remember to call on God for help!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for having a plan for each and everyone of us. We often make goals and plans in what we think is our best interest but don’t involve you. When they fail or crack, we can blame you for not fulfilling your promises. Please forgive us for that.

Lord help us to understand that while you never change, our goals can and should. Help us to see that revising or even abandoning goals isn’t failure. In fact, this may, if we call on you, help us to build a deeper relationship with you.

Lord, we pray for your grace, help, and determination as we try to make and revise goals that are pleasing to you. In your name, we pray, Amen.