I remember all those yearly evaluations required when I worked in the secular world. It seems they did not just center on how the past year had gone, but they always pointed us to the year ahead with two questions, “What is your goal?” and “What is your plan to achieve your goal?”
You must have a goal to aim at. You must have a plan for hitting that goal. Both are necessary for success.
Paul reminds us that as Christians we too must have a goal. “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal.” [Philippians 2:1-2 HCSB]
The NKJV uses the wording, “fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
Being of one mind, focusing on one goal. I wonder what we would say if someone walked up to us and asked us as a Christian, what is our goal? Would we offer something like, “To be like Christ.” Or maybe, “To lead others to Christ.” Both would be great goals. But then, what would we say if they continued (like my old supervisors used to do), “Okay, what is your plan for achieving that goal?”
Ah, then we might flounder a bit. As a Christian, I am not always particularly good at setting up a goal or a plan to reach that goal. Too often, I just journey along, trying to respond to the Holy Spirit’s course corrections in my life rather than consulting Him on what He wants me to achieve and His plan for me to get there.
Maybe I need to consider this a bit more!
