How are those goals coming?

by Lillian Humphries

Two months ago, 8.5 weeks ago, 63 days ago I made some goals. Like Dr. Phil says “how’s that working for you”? Well for me not so well. How about you?

I love goals, the organizing the thinking, the feeling of new beginnings, it all makes me feel good. Then I lose steam. If only I could keep up that momentum but after a few days it dwindles. Either I get hungry and eat something that is not on my good food list, or I am sore so I quit exercising, or my get up and go – got up and went.

So here I am two months later and not very far on the ladder of success regarding my goals. Sometimes it
gets very defeating, those little voices start nagging at you. My husband says I am my worst enemy, I think most of us are pretty hard on ourselves. But he is right, (did I really say that in print), I am my worst enemy.

No I have not lost 20 lbs. yet this year. No, I have not exercised as many times as I promised myself I would. No, I haven’t kept away from the cookies like I said I would. Who brought those Girl Scout cookies in this house anyway?

Let’s focus on the positive. I have written more as I had promised myself. My Bible has been open and read more than before. Closets are organized and unused items have been thrown out or given away. My goal of blogging once a week was only missed twice so far. I’m really happy how that goal is progressing.

So I guess I am making progress. Maybe it is only one step forward and two steps back but it least I can see that I am moving in the correct direction – forward and up.

God wants us to continue to grow; if we are not growing we have become stagnant. Picture a stagnant pond with algae lying on the top and mucky waters below. Does that image look appealing to you? Not to me. I wouldn’t want to lie down near that pond and have a picnic – mosquitoes are probably swarming all around. That pond might even have an unpleasant odor to it. Probably not pleasing to any of your senses.
However, draw an image in your mind of a beautiful pond, maybe it has a spring bubbling up in the middle. Clear water reveals minnows swimming around the beautiful lily pads that are floating on top. There is crispness to the water that is inviting and the slight breeze would keep the bugs away, perfect for a picnic beside the pond.

That is the way I want to look, feel and act. Like a fresh bubbling pond with my words being flowers, my attitude being the fresh water for people around me to drink up and feel rejuvenated. My arms should be a place of comfort and peace where they can find rest.

Only by me drinking the word of God and filling myself with Jesus will I be able to accomplish the goals I have set for myself. But I always must remember, my goals are exactly that – my goals. God has His own set of goals for me. Unless I am open to Him and His word I won’t be able to see His goals.

Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

So, do you need to stop and rethink your goals from earlier in the year? Maybe quarterly revisit those to see how you are doing and if these are still the goals to be met or has God shown you some new ones?

Always be open.