“What would need to happen
for 2014 to be the best year ever for you personally? For your family,
your work, your relationship with God? Do you want it to happen?”
These are the questions I
urge you to think about in more than a passing way today and this week.
If you are able, write down your answers. I know some of my readers have
physical restrictions which prevent them from writing, so ask your dearest friend
to write them down for you. And then post the results somewhere special
for you, someplace where the answers will pop up as a surprising reminder of
your goal. Choose SMART, rational goals you deeply desire, which you and
God together can achieve.
Some examples: a friend of
mine is concerned about her business. There are some unique challenges which
will make it hard to keep her successful business in operation this year. She
asked me to pray about this with her, and I am going to do so. But, it is
not enough to pray just that the business is a success; it is important to pray
about why we want it to succeed. How will God be glorified in its
success? My friend dedicates her business success to doing God’s work in
her community. If you have a financial or business challenge this year,
will you pray for God to bless it, and will you offer God the glory when that
happens, offering back to God a gift of thanksgiving?
Another friend of mine was in
his mid-80’s had lived a good life, offering much back to God. Yet he had one
unresolved relationship which troubled him. He had heard all of the sermons
about righting wrongs but he could not bring himself to conquer this one last
hurtful problem. But, he was about to go on a trip, so he came to see me
and I was authorized to invite this other person to our meeting. There,
together, he said the things which needed to be said to make the relationship
right. After a decade or more the two of them were able to be at peace
with each other. My friend went on his trip and on the day of his arrival
natural causes brought an end to his life. I think that conversation made
it his best year ever, for he was at peace on earth, and then he was at peace
in heaven. Making this year your best year ever might be as simple,
and as hard as this: reconcile with someone on this earth; reconcile with your
God in heaven. You have fifty weeks left to get this done, I hope.
One last question: are you
willing to sacrifice whatever is needed to achieve your goal? If not, don’t
try. But if you willing, well then: Go! Start making your year the best!
Shalom,
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