Trending
Preacher Mark Brouwer tells about hearing a motivational speaker begin his presentation with some audience participation: "Raise your hand if you would like to make a real difference with your life. How many of you would like to have such a significant life that, when you're gone, you'll leave this world a better place?" Nearly everyone in the audience raised their hands. "Now, raise your hand if you have a plan for how you're going to do that." There was nervous laughter, but in a room filled with hundreds of people, only two hands went up.
The Apostle Paul knew what he wanted to achieve in life. In Philippians 3:10-15 (NIV), Paul wrote: "I want to know Christ--yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 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. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you." Paul wanted to live a meaningful, productive life on earth, and then he wanted to live forever with Jesus.
Paul knew how he wanted to achieve that goal. In Romans 15:20, Paul declared that he wanted to preach the gospel in areas of the world where it had not been preached before. In Colossians 2:2, Paul states that he wants to help those who already know Jesus come to maturity in Christ so that they can enjoy the blessings of godly living. And in Galatians 1:10, Paul makes clear that he doesn't plan to waste much time worrying about how he is judged by others; only God's opinion counts.
Paul's focus in life contributed to his success as one of the most productive missionaries in history. His contribution to the Kingdom of Christ continues to this day as believers read and follow the instructions in Paul's New Testament writings.
So what's your goal, and how do you plan to reach it? I read about a town that started seeing a lot of bullet holes in road signs. The vandalism was expensive and flying bullets raised major safety concerns, but the accurate marksmanship of the shooter intrigued town authorities. Each bullet hole fell near the exact center of a bullseye. When the culprit was captured, police asked him about his marksmanship. "Oh, that was easy," the shooter replied. "I'd just shoot and then, wherever the bullet hit, I'd draw a bullseye around it." Zig Ziglar said, "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time."
On the other hand, if you aim at lofty goals and work to achieve them, you'll accomplish a great deal, even if you occasionally fail to hit your specific target. Thomas Edison, for example, set the goal of producing a major new invention every 6 months, and a minor invention every 10 days. Edison didn't always achieve that level of productivity, but when he died, Edison held 1092 patents. Hard work paid off.
Some of the payoff comes in the form of mental and emotional health and contentment with life. Alfred Adler, a famous pioneer in the field of psychology, had an interesting way of discharging patients. "If you are cured," Adler would ask, "what will you do?" After listening as the patient answered the question, Adler would then open the office door and say, "Then go and do it." Adler's actions not only reinforced the idea that the patients were well enough to move forward on their own, but also provided the patient with a prescription for good mental health in the future: The process of setting a goal and working to achieve it would take the patient's mind off of their problems and focus their attention on productive activity. Working toward a goal, life would be more meaningful and positive.
So, what's your goal, and how do you plan to achieve it? What are you waiting for?