Blessings beloved parishioners of Steemchurch, in view that we are about to conclude a year and start another year I wanted to share this theme with you that will help us to meditate on our achievements, failures, opportunities and weaknesses of the year that is going.
And to meditate, organize and plan projects that are inconclusive and prepare for new ones. It's been a year and I think there's a lot to say.
In this wonderful Church, for example, many things have been achieved that we should be proud of, the most important of all the preaching of the gospel in this crusade for freedom initiated by our leader, @Sirknight, for whom we pray that God will continue to fill with wisdom to fight against evil and all its forms.
We have many needs and dreams. Be natural, spiritual, professional, family, and others. What to do with all this? Are we going to sit down and wait for everything to happen? No way. After verifying its legitimacy, we need to transform them into targets, into objectives. And then? Once the objective is identified, we need to plan. Throughout the beginning of the year, dreams come to the surface. But, if they do not become objectives, followed by the concretion process, they will end up vanishing.
The need - what you need.
The dream - what you want (can match the need).
Legitimacy analysis - why do you want that? for what? What will be the consequences?
Feasibility analysis - how does the dream fit the context of your life? What will be the price to pay? What will be the benefit? Is it worth fighting for that?
The goal - what you decide to conquer or perform.
The plan - definition of the necessary measures to achieve the objective: how, when, where, with what, with whom.
Plans and resources
In the first place, it will be important to foresee the type and quantity of resources necessary for the realization of the project. Jesus said that if someone wants to build a tower (objective), they need to settle down, before they start, to do the accounts to see if they have the money (resource) necessary to complete the work (Lk 14.28). If someone wants to make a cake (objective), he needs to verify what the necessary ingredients (resources) are and if he has them in sufficient quantity.
Perhaps, after the calculations, it can be concluded that the objective is unfeasible. There are no resources or ways to obtain it. We do not have time to lose with impossible dreams, but this is not always the case. We may not have the resources, but, depending on the type and amount, they can be obtained in some way. Some people have already received a large amount of material resources from their parents. Theoretically, they may go further than those that still need to reach them. However, God gave us capacity, intelligence, health, strength and creativity to accomplish much. If resources do not exist, special planning will be necessary to obtain them. For example, your dream is a car, but you do not have money. Then, there are one or more objectives that need to be reached before the vehicle. You need a good job and, before that,
Therefore, even among possible objectives there is an order of dependency and priority. Normally, our targets are like steps of a staircase. We need to upload them, one at a time. Jumping among them may go well, but the risk of a shameful fall is very great (Pv 21.5).
This type of reflection is useful for everyone, but mainly for the youngest ones. It is good that you know how to organize your goals in a sensible way.
Execution and investments
Considering that we have viable objectives and all the necessary resources in mind, we need to ensure the execution of the plans and the investment of the resources. Plans that do not come out of paper end up being eaten by moths. Resources that are not used are lost. This seems to be a law or a universal principle. If, instead of making the cake, keep the ingredients indefinitely, they will be eaten by "someone". Do not lose the "term of validity" of the resources that God gave you. Do not lose the opportunities you have today. Do not wait for Jesus to preach again the Gospel, to do good to others or to seek his personal fulfillment.
We can see resources as seeds. Do you perceive the potential that exists in a simple seed? But everything depends on what is done with it. You can save. This is dangerous, depending on time. Can eat. That is legitimate and correct, but whoever eats all the seeds today will not have a harvest tomorrow. You can use all your resources with yourself. That is selfishness. You can share them. That's love. You can apply everything in one place. That is high risk. You can diversify your investment. That is wisdom. You can throw it on any terrain. That is prejudice. You can throw it in a good land. That is guaranteed return.
We, Christians, learn to pray asking God for what we need. However, prayer often becomes a means of substituting action. It should not be like that. We need to pray and act. Moses cried out to God before the Red Sea. The Lord replied, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the children of Israel to go" (Ex 14:15). In that episode, the town already knew what to do. When we do not know, we need to pray. Next, we must act.
Depending on the degree of complexity, the plan can be divided into goals. The solution is easier if the problem can be divided. The goals can be divided into tasks or stages, and each of them must have a specific deadline for its execution and the specification of the expected result.
For example, if your dream is to spend next year in Israel, then you have to decide what you are going to do. Thus, the dream becomes a goal. Next, you need to identify the resources: basically, money and passport. Assuming you have all of that, you can make the plan, which is divided into the following goals: 1- Mark vacations for the period. 2- Obtain the visa. 3- Make a reservation at the hotel. 4- Buy the ticket. 5- Prepare the luggage. 6- Travel. Each of these goals can be divided into several tasks.
To execute any plan, it is necessary to have discipline. Do not leave for tomorrow what needs to be done today. If you are on the way to your goal, do not stop in the middle of the day. Do not let other objectives come to deviate from the route, unless they are really a priority. Then, maybe it's the case of abandoning the initial target. This type of situation may indicate that there was an error in the planning phase.
Some dreams are individual. Others are collective or depend on the action of other people. Then the situation becomes more difficult. A dream that is realized in group can have a quantity of available resources more abundant. However, the necessary discipline will be much greater and difficult to maintain. It is much easier to be a swimming champion in an Olympiad than to be a football champion. Getting a disciplined, talented and efficient group is very difficult. However, it is not impossible.
The goal of Jesus Christ
For talking in a group, remember the goal of Jesus: to have a church, holy, pure, without blemish. The church would not appear from nowhere. He would need to build it (Mt 16.16). For this, he made a plan and applied many resources. Jesus came into the world, grew up, was baptized, endured temptation, chose his disciples, gave them teaching, training and a mission, died on the cross, rose again, ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit. What were the resources used? In the first place, his life, his blood, his Spirit. Second, the disciples themselves are resources that the Lord used. In the end, we are also. And the realization of his plan is not over yet. So far, the Lord has had many partial results. But at his second coming, the Lord will see his bride mature and ready.
We could also mention God's objective for Israel in the time of Moses: the land of Canaan. Material resources were still obtained in Egypt. Other resources could only come in a supernatural way: cloud during the day and pillar of fire at night; water from the rock and manna. When you walk with God, seeking the execution of your purposes, the resources come. Nothing will be lacking .
The right time
It is good to remember what Solomon said: there is a definite time for all purpose under heaven (see also Gn 18.14, 21.2, 29.21). Our life time is the basis of all analysis. We do not know how much time we still have left, but because of the general average and the time that passed, we can have a reasonable idea, although uncertain. At 80 years of age it does not help anyone to want to be an Olympic champion. "Teach us to count our days, in such a way that we reach wise hearts." (Ps 90.12). Identifying the right time for each purpose is a very big challenge. Therefore, the Bible shows that such discernment is a skill of the wise (Ec 8.5, Esther 1.13). Let us ask then that God give us such wisdom so that we have good objectives and make good plans and manage to execute them. That we can build a house and live in it,
However, the Bible teaches us that all the time is adequate to practice justice, to do good, to be reconciled with God, to pray, to preach his Word and to do his will. To postpone such objectives is to follow the tricks of the enemy.
Dependence of God
The farmer can have the seeds, he can open the land and sow. However, it can not make it rain. In principle, there is a certain time for the rains. It is necessary then that the times are known. Identify the right time and take advantage of it. In extreme cases, even wisdom can be useless. The rain weather is known, but it does not rain. So, it shows how dependent we are on God and how much we need to pray to be blessed. But remember: pray and act.
However better our goals and plans are, many things are beyond our reach. Therefore, this topic is not restricted to the scope of the human domain. We need to pray for God to change situations that we can not change. Many goals in life depend on an opportunity that we may not be able to create. Pray to God so that we can see the good opportunities and reject the false ones. In the Eden, Eve accepted a proposed goal: to be like God. But it was a false opportunity. In the desert, Jesus also heard several proposals from the enemy, but he did not accept any of them. Such situations are traps disguised as opportunities. We must not make sin our goal, because the investment required is the soul itself. (Ps 52.2, 64.6.)
Where is the limit?
Is every goal worth it? First, we seek to guarantee our survival and security. Then we started to crave much more. After the supply we want the comfort. After comfort, luxury. Many reach the point of abstaining from moral values to achieve what seems to them to be a higher level in life. Are we looking for "being like God"? Everyone needs to keep their own ambition under control. One way to do this is to adhere to spiritual values and seeking the good of others. The donation is an exercise of self-control, it is a brake that is imposed on selfishness. Look for your goals, but also help your neighbor to reach his.
Excess of targets
Another problem that needs to be evaluated is the excess of targets or the incompatibility between them. The human being lives pursuing diverse objectives. Will it reach them? Could it be that I and you will achieve our goals? We are like hunters who live running after their prey. If we want to chase many hunts at the same time, we can lose them all.
Identify your objectives. Put them in order of priority. Make plans, pray, work, and God will bless you.
What is next year be more profitable and greater achievements for all in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen!
Hi Sister, it's my favorite post of the day, I took a good time to read this interesting message. To think, to point out and not to fulfill the goals is to lose credibility. God bless every advance of steemchurch. Blessings
Great publication sister Lorennys, I find many points here in what we must reflect, such as making a work plan, pointing out a goal and not concluding it shows that there is instability and little commitment to reality. The Bible advises us to be constant in what we propose, without double encouragement. Thank you for sharing this valuable teaching!
Resteem
@emiliocabrera
A plan, more action and perseverance leads to success. God bless you