For many of us, this is the time of year in which we pull out a notepad or pull up the note taking app on our phone and begin to jot down our goals for the new year. Our physical health, finances, marriage, career and/or ministry may not be where would like it to be, so we resolve to make some changes.
Personally, I love it. For I believe that the pursuit of our goals adds definition to our lives. They give us a reason to get up in the morning and get started with our day. They serve as key steppingstones in the accomplishment of our dreams. And as Langston Hughes says, we must “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly".
I hear someone countering with “I dream. Every year, I set these goals, but I never accomplish them. In fact, on many occasions, my pursuit of said dream has ended by the end of January.
I understand. But do you have a realistic plan coupled with a dogmatic commitment to accomplish your goal. Without that roadmap and commitment, a dream is merely a wish upon a star waiting to be crushed by the various obstacles and distractions of life.
That is especially true when it comes to our spiritual goals. We have a desire to grow spiritually via prayer, fasting and the study of His Word. We want to become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit. But we do not have a realistic plan and a dogmatic commitment.
Then life happens. The kids have somewhere they need to go. There is a new demand at work. Something breaks down at the house. There is a new business opportunity that comes our way. There is a new TV show that we must binge watch. We meet someone new and dive headfirst into the new relationship. Or, real talk, we simply get bored.
As a result, we stop praying, fasting, studying, and attending worship service on a consistent basis leaving us spiritually thirsty. No power. No anointing. No connection to the Father.
Jesus provides us with the starting blocks and foundation for a realistic plan in his Sermon on the Mount. He instructs his hillside audience to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these things will be added to you”. (Matthew 6:33) Seek first, not second, third, fourth or only when needed. But seek first and keep on seeking to be in a vibrant healthy relationship with the Father.
Does that mean that we should not chase our dreams? No. Chase your dreams. But let’s make sure our priorities are in order. Let’s put God first in everything that we do. Let’s Keep The Main Thing (Yahweh) The Main Thing.
