I’m such a procrastinator! How about you? If you’re like me, in order to get something done, it takes an ACT OF CONGRESS! Ummm, my congress hasn’t been working too well lately either. So, I decided that I wanted to be more productive/effective this year. Yes, that is my main goal! I realized that if I wanted to get more things accomplished on a daily basis, I was gonna have to pull out the ol’ teacher grade book. (You’d think I would have thought of this idea a little sooner, since I’m near retirement!)
Anyways, I decided to create my own personal gradebook page. On the left are the things that I wish to accomplish this year: Bible Read/Study Daily, Prayer List Daily, Exercise Daily, Eat Right Daily, Check On or Inspire Someone Daily and so on. At the top of my gradebook, I wrote the days of the week for this month. For every day that I accomplish my goal, I give myself a checkmark. When things don’t get accomplished, the area remains blank.
So far, I have studied my Bible so much more, prayed intentionally so much more, Exercised hmmm…more, ate right a few days – You get the idea! I realize what area I am weak in when I look at my gradebook and I can work on those things instead of giving up because I feel like I failed at everything! I honestly already feel much more accomplished this year! Yeah! Go me!
Now, it’s your turn! Let me encourage you to make a list of your own personal goals. This will give you a visual road map of where you’d like to go! Hold yourself accountable. As this teacher often says, “Use your time wisely!” It will be gone before you know it. Maybe your desire is to become a local missionary, maybe you would like to start a prayer group at your home weekly, maybe you’d like to become a volunteer at school, the hospital, the nursing home, or even at the animal shelter. Maybe you need a reminder to pray for America, the lost, the broken hearted daily. Don’t forget to ask God to guide your goals as he’s the reason we’re all still here, right?
The purpose of this activity is not to be perfect. You WILL fail to do something daily, but I’m sure you will accomplish so much more with a plan of action. Let me give you another little snippin’ of an idea. Get yourself a wall calendar. Mine is in my bathroom because that’s where I go the first thing every morning. Place the names of the different people you wish to pray for on each block daily. This way, you don’t have to worry about keeping up with a list or book of names. It simply greets you first thing in the morning!
Absolutely everything Jesus did in this life was and is still goal oriented! He was sent to Earth because we as flesh and blood are prone to sin. We, by nature, want to do what we love whether it’s right or wrong…no matter the consequences. The trouble with that is that our main consequence of sin is death, the grave, and Hell. We needed someone to save us from this destruction! Jesus was the savior (superhero) we needed to protect us from all that Satan offered. We, my friends, are the reason Jesus came to Earth and died on the cross to take away all our sins and the consequences of them!
Hey, I realized at the age of twelve that I couldn’t do life alone! When you see people out in public who call themselves Christians, you see broken, imperfect, train wrecks (as my pastor says) that have cried out to be saved by an Almighty God. Instantly, Jesus lifted them up, washed them in his blood, forgave them of their sins, and sent them on a mission! When they try, but fail daily, all they have to do is ask for forgiveness. God continually uses Christ’s Sacrifice to cover their sins. How awesome is that? No one is perfect! That’s why we need God!
Get this and keep this rooted in your mind throughout your life. Jesus came intentionally because he wanted to save YOU! He loves and accepts YOU in your wrecked condition! He wants to transform you into the person you long to be. The most important thing you can do is to work alongside of his mission for your life! When I do silly things in life and make a fool of myself, I rest in the fact that Jesus has my back! Yes, I keep him busy for sure!
Stay focused friends!
The thief (Satan) commeth not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they (you) might have life and that they (you) may have it more abundantly.
John 10:10
