By Tabitha Caplinger
2020 may not be going the way any of us planned. Things have gotten shaken up to say the least, but we don’t have to let go of our goals for the year. If God has given us something to do, something to work on, then He can help us do the work, even in the midst of a pandemic. (He’s pretty cool like that!)
Back in January, we shared about being intentional with this new year. Six months in and the year isn’t so new anymore. Maybe you are still on track. (If so, go you!) Maybe plans and goals and dreams have fallen by the wayside. That’s okay. You can pick them back up – or even change course! If we’ve learned anything during the last few months of this crazy year, it’s that we need to be flexible.
I know it may feel like everything is up in the air and we are all juggling the best we can. What better time to decide what we want to juggle and what we don’t?
Jeanne Mayo said, “you have to manage your time or it will manage you. You have to decide what you are willing to fail at…and not deciding is still deciding.”
God has purpose for each one of us. He first and foremost wants us to know Him, really know Him. Then He wants to use our unique gifts and passions to reach others. He has plans for you and plans for me. His plans are good…but they take work on our part.
- We have to talk to Him so we know what He wants us to do. All those balls we are juggling? He can tell you which ones to keep juggling and which ones to let go of. So talk to Him. Go back to that January post and walk through the steps and questions and do some self-assessment. Figure out where He wants you to go.
- Begin to manage your time rather than let it manage you. Time is too easily wasted if we aren’t intentional about how we spend it. That doesn’t mean turn into a workaholic. Rest and fun are important. But take a look at your goals and see where you can offer them a little more time. What can be put on the back burner for you to pursue those God-dreams?
- Decide what you are willing to fail at. What does that mean? Decide what gets your best energy and what doesn’t, because not everything can get those best pieces of you. Make sure the things you are giving your most to are the things that are getting you from where you are to where God wants you to be. But here’s the thing, your marriage and your kids (if you are married and if you have kids) aren’t something you get to fail at. They are automatically at the top of your list, right along with your relationship with Jesus (this last bit goes for the single peeps too. Jesus first!). If we are honest, they often get knocked down a row or two because we come home too tired or stay too busy with other things, but they should be getting the best of us. Also note, when we say best, we mean quality, not necessarily quantity.
- Don’t wait to take those next steps. Whether it’s a goal to work on your marriage, or be more of a spiritual influence for your kids, or to go back to school, or to start that business…make a decision and then make a plan. We pray like it depends on God, but we work like it depends on us. We can’t sit around twiddling our thumbs and just waiting for things to happen, or things to get better, or things to change. We have to do something. Sometimes the only thing we can do is pray and seek God, but that is not nothing. Though, more often than not, we can do more. We can learn and we can strategize and we can prepare and we can move forward toward those goals and dreams. So let’s do that!
I don’t know how 2020 started for you, and I don’t know what progress you’ve made toward Jesus and His will for your life. Whatever might be happening right now, 2020 isn’t over and God has not given up on His dreams for you and He hasn’t hit pause on them. We can take this time to rest, refresh, reassess and maybe even start fresh on the course He is plotting for us.
Pro tip: It all starts with Him. Seek Him; His face and not just His hands. The more we get to know Him the easier it is to hear His voice and be guided by Him in all the other stuff.