Resolutions, Goals, and Plans of Mice and Men

How can it be that another calendar year is nearly over? Valentine’s Day was just yesterday, wasn’t it?

 

This image from a Jacquie Lawson 
E-card captures old sentiments.

People exhibit a variety of reactions concerning the end of one year and the start of another. For some, it’s ‘Good riddance!’ The old year can’t end soon enough. For others, it’s a fond farewell, cherishing the achievements and memories created along the way. What the words of the traditional year-ender, “Auld Lang Syne,” mean depends on what kind of year you’ve had: “Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?”

Nevertheless, 2025 will be upon us before we know it. The brilliant shining ball at Times Square will have dropped, and ready or not, we’ll venture in the new year filled with hopes, expectations, and perhaps some uncertainty.

 

One way of trying to limit that uncertainty is to prepare for the coming year. Some of us formulate resolutions, others set specific and measurable goals, while others engage in detailed planning. As I’ve noted in the past, I’m not an advocate of resolutions because they’re so easily broken and then forgotten. 

 

According to some studies, the average lifespan of most resolutions is about two weeks. Quitting smoking, losing weight, limiting screen time, and exercising more all sound like great ideas. Until the time comes for implementing those resolutions. Most of us, once we fail, promptly quit. ‘I knew I couldn’t do it. Why bother?’

 

I prefer setting goals, since they allow for failure along the way. If I resolve to read through the Bible over the course of the year and miss a day or two, I can always catch up later. If I determine to save a certain amount of money each month but unanticipated expenses come up, there’s always next month.

 

The reality of it is, no matter how committed we are to our resolutions and/or goals, there’s always the unexpected. At times, very unexpected. In his classic poem, “To a Mouse,” Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote (in modern English), “The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.” To put it another way, life happens when we’re making other plans.

 

So, what’s the point of goal-setting and planning? Should we just ‘let life happen,’ adopting a fatalistic view of life? I don’t think so. Instead, it’s wise to recognize that while life can and does take surprising twists and turns, we can trust in our God who’s never caught by surprise or unprepared.

 

The Scriptures offer great wisdom about the planning process and the importance of letting the Lord be part of that process. The book of Proverbs alone gives numerous insights. My personal favorite is Proverbs 3:5-6, which I consider my life’s verse: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” I’ve lost count of the times I had my ideas, God had His ideas, and His proved to be much better than mine.

 

Another verse urges us, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed” (Proverbs 16:3). That doesn’t mean God is obligated to bless everything we decide to do. What it does mean is if we determine to make our plans in light of our devotion to the Lord, He will guide us in the planning process.

 

A brief passage from another Old Testament book affirms this. Psalm 37:4-6 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” When our delight in God and commitment to Him are paramount, He will ensure that our desires align with His own.

 

We could cite many other Bible passages, but three more from Proverbs are particularly helpful for those of us who are planners. Both point to God’s sovereignty – that ultimately He works everything according to His will and purposes.

 

Proverbs 16:9 tells us, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Then we read, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). And third, “A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?” (Proverbs 20:24).

 

We can regard these assurances from a negative perspective, as if to say, “Who does God think He is to decide what I’m going to do?” However, trusting in God’s omniscience – being all-knowing – can give us much peace and confidence that even if our plans are faulty or misdirected, the Lord is fully able to counter our foolish limitations and redirect our plans in ways we couldn’t have dreamed or expected.

 

As we read in Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever!”

 

If we can keep these promises in mind as we make our resolutions, set our goals or develop our plans, we’ll find things going much better than we could have hoped. Happy planning – and Happy New Year!

Pondering Impossibilities, Possibilities, and Probabilities

Well, we’ve finally made the leap to 2021. Glad 2020 is over! How could a year with that name have been so out of focus? As they say, time marches on; sometimes it limps.

 

So here we are with a new year. Its potential and possibilities seem endless. Of course, some things aren’t possible. Unless you’re a card-carrying member of the PGA, you don’t have a shot at winning The Masters this spring. Even if it’s run on schedule this year, we won’t be riding the victorious horse in the Kentucky Derby. And we probably won’t win the lottery. (Since I don’t buy lottery tickets, that definitely reduces my chances!)

 

Odds are only slightly better for starring in a reality TV show. For most people, their reality is as thrilling as watching paint dry anyway. It’s also very unlikely Elon Musk will call, inviting us to board his next SpaceX flight, or to test-drive a Tesla. Do you really think the coach of your favorite football team will ask you to draw up some new plays?

 

But what about those things that are real possibilities – even probabilities? The things we can definitely accomplish, if only we have a mind to do so? Presuming virus restrictions are reduced or eliminated (they will, someday, won’t they?), we actually might be able to make that out-of-town, out-of-state, or even out-of-country trip we’ve looked forward to for so long. And we could finally undertake that hobby or project we’ve thought about so often. How about attempting to read through the Bible in a year?

 

Last year I was able to reconnect with several old friends and relatives, folks I hadn’t talked with literally for decades. I’d like to do more of that this year. When “auld acquaintances are forgot,” that’s not good. It’s fun rekindling relationships from the past. There are a number of other things I would like to finally get around to doing, things that could benefit myself and others.

 

A friend of mine used to show men he was mentoring an accountability chart, helping them to rate different areas in their lives, such as physical, mental, spiritual, financial, vocational and social. By evaluating themselves in each area, they could determine where improvements or changes were needed and consider how to go about doing that. How about you?

 

Physical. With the turmoil of the past year, many of us slacked off in caring for ourselves physically, not exercising as we should and not eating properly. Do you need to do something in this area? The Scriptures say, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

 

Mental. In a very real sense, we’re engaged in a battle for our minds. How will we keep our thinking properly focused? “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…. Do not think of yourselves more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Romans 12:2-3).

 

Spiritual. In addition to our physical, mental and emotional makeup, we’re also spiritual beings. Who – or what – truly holds our spiritual allegiance, our worship? “And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind'” (Matthew 22:37). Jesus also said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

 

Financial. The Bible teaches that rather than being owners, we are managers or stewards of what the Lord has provided. That should make a difference in how we handle our money and possessions. “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours…. Wealth and honor come from you…” (1 Chronicles 29:11-12).

 

Vocational. The work we do, whether full-time or part-time, in the home or outside of it, is an expression of service to God and others. How we approach it is a reflection of what we believe. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24).

 

Social. The Bible says much, not only about how we interact with others, but also about how we treat them. For instance, we’re told we need one another: 

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ…. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

 

The passages above have great depth of meaning, but as I look ahead to this new year, two phrases seem to stand out: “you are not your own,” and “it is the Lord Christ you are serving.” If we could keep those truths in the forefront of our minds, what a difference that would make.

What Doth This New Year Hold Forth?

When this year began, did you make any resolutions – or set some goals, as I prefer to do? Were you able to achieve every one of them? If you did, you’re either an exceptional person, or you have difficulty telling the truth sometimes. Because no one could have anticipated and planned for the turmoil and upheaval 2020 would bring.

 

But why dwell on that now? We’ve got a brand new year ahead of us, barely a blink of an eye away. Aren’t we all ready for a fresh start? It’s time to relegate 2020 to hindsight, right? Can’t wait to see it fading in the rearview mirror!

 

Alas, even though we’ll be changing dates on our calendars, checkbooks and other stuff, when Jan. 1, 2021 dawns, it will be just another day – and the problems of the year past won’t suddenly disappear. Based on what we’ve gone through over the past 365 days, it might be appropriate for the entrance to 2021 to be littered with signs like “Beware!” “Proceed With Caution!” and “Enter At Your Own Risk!”

 So while we’re finalizing our resolutions, goals or plans for the new year, recent experience suggests that we prepare to be nimble, adaptable and flexible. Because things certainly aren’t going to go quite like we expect or hope. They never do. But we don’t have to feel like we’re moving forward blindly, like a ship in a storm without an anchor.

 

For me, the Scriptures provide confidence that the unknown that's lying ahead of us is already charted territory. In the words of the familiar psalm, we’re assured, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for [God is] with me…” (Psalm 23:4). Those brief words carry great depth of meaning.

 

In shepherd terminology, this referred to the unwavering trust the sheep had in their caretaker. What might lurk in the shadows could have disconcerted them, but knowing their shepherd would protect them, the sheep could proceed without hesitation.

 

It’s the same for us. Even when things seem darkest, the Lord is already there to provide us with the light we need. He’s “scoped things out” for us in advance. As Jesus Christ promised, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). If I were trekking at night through a dark forest, I’d feel much better if I had an experienced guide equipped with a bright light to show the way.

 

Another verse reassures us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). That’s a passage that has often served me like a spiritual security blanket.

 

Then there’s my all-time favorite, Proverbs 3:5-6, which admonishes, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Whenever I have leaned on my own understanding during 2020, it only made things seem more confusing. The virus, politics, and social unrest were a devastating triple play. Whenever I had the sense to shift my thinking and trust in the Lord, however, order always seemed to dispel the chaos.

 

Just before ascending to heaven, Jesus offered this assurance: “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We find a similar promise recounted in Hebrews 13:5, when He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” After which the writer adds, “So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”

 

I’ve been to strange cities a number of times. Unfamiliarity was one thing, but being directionally challenged, those occasions could have been daunting, even fearful experiences. But each time I was in the company with a friend or trusted guide who was very familiar with the city and knew exactly where we needed to go. 

 

In a broader sense, life is much like that. We can fear the future – especially in view of recent experiences. But as we follow the One who already knows what lies ahead, we can let go of our anxieties and uncertainties, trusting that He will ultimately take us safely to our intended destination. So we can say with confidence, “2021, ready or not, here we come!” 

Forgetting the Past…Building for the Future

What kind of year has 2014 been for you? Does it make you want to say, “Sorry to see you go,” or “Good riddance”?

Has it been a year of moving forward, accomplishing significant goals and collecting memorable experiences? Or has it been a year of treading water at best, or of moving backward, enduring disappointments and suffering pain, whether physical, emotional or both?

Emerging from hazy past, sometimes
the future can seem equally foggy.

For many of us the ending of one calendar year and the starting of another often prompt times for reassessing where we’ve been and where we think we’re going. If the year has been a good one for the most part, we’re eager to proceed, hoping to experience more of the same – or to build even more elaborately on the foundation that’s been laid.

Sometimes, however, it’s hard to project where we think we’re headed, especially if we’re not thrilled with the journey so far. The past has a way of clinging to us even when we’d desperately like it to let go.

The past offers a particular conundrum. It’s often said those who forget the mistakes of the past are bound to repeat them, but at the same time inordinate focus on past events can become paralyzing. So how do we strike a proper balance?

Paul the apostle offers a good example to follow. Writing to followers of Jesus in the city of Philippi, Paul stated, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

This doesn’t mean the apostle had totally forgotten his past misdeeds. He vividly remembered times when he zealously opposed those he later came to regard as his brothers and sisters in Christ. “I persecuted the followers of the Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison” (Acts 22:4). But he didn’t dwell those wrongs, no matter how wretched they were, understanding he had received God’s forgiveness. He’d become a changed man.

We all also have deeds we wish we hadn’t done or things we dearly wish we had done when we had the opportunity, but the past is written in stone. It can’t be erased. We can’t un-write our personal history, but starting today we can create fresh, new, different chapters that don't have to result in remorse and regret.

In that sense, like Paul, we also can “strain toward what is ahead,” pressing toward those things God has called us to do as well as what He wants us to become.

Then again, obsessing over the future can be as unproductive as immersing ourselves with thoughts of what’s gone before. That’s why Jesus offered this caution: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34).

Around the first of the year I have a personal tradition of reviewing the previous 12 months, my successes and failures, along with what I achieved in my quest to attain specific goals. And then I set new goals for the coming year. But I know a year’s worth of goals won’t be accomplished in a single day or a week. One day at a time is all we can do. We rightly plan for the days ahead of us – tomorrow, next week, two months from now. But the events of today have an annoying way of disrupting expectations for tomorrow.

So as we move into 2015, I’m resolved to do my best to learn from past mistakes and not repeat them, not wallow in wrongs that can’t be undone, and strive to be ready for future opportunities, remembering that in Christ, “The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

It’s a New Year, Ready or Not!

Well, the Times Square ball has dropped; Father Time has passed the baton to a younger 2012 version; the holidays are over – and the real world is starting up again, ready or not.

Some say, according to the Mayan calendar, that this is the year the world ends. If that’s the case, let’s hope it’s before the November elections. Maybe what the Mayans meant was this is the year election rhetoric ends. Wouldn’t that be great? No more promises made with no intention to be kept; no relentless opponent bashing; no feeble attempts to convince voters that any of the candidates are really worth voting for.

Call me skeptical, even cynical when it comes to the current political climate. But where is Abraham Lincoln when you need him? If the Martians were to land and demand, “Take us to your leader,” wouldn't we find ourselves hard-pressed to figure out who that would be?

Last week I offered some thoughts about resolutions vs. goal-setting. I hope you have taken at least a few minutes to do one or the other; whatever works for you. But let me ask (you and me) a few questions as we embark on this great adventure we will forever call “2012.” Just some food for thought:

·       What is one thing you could do, starting today, that would result in a meaningful change in your life this year?

·       Since each day still has only 24 hours, and each week has only seven days, what step might you take to invest more time and waste less of it?

·       We all tend to grumble and complain about the state of the world today, so what is one thing you can do personally to contribute toward making the world a better place?

·       What difference would it make – if any – if you made a conscious effort to devote specific time to God every day: reading the Bible, praying, meditating, or whatever?

·       How could you apply this passage from the Scriptures – and how might it change your attitude toward each day? “Finally…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

Happy New Year!

Fresh Starts . . . and New Goals

Have you recovered from the Christmas commotion? Frantic searches for gifts; festive and sometimes stressful family gatherings; frenetic attempts to finish work projects so you can enjoy time off in peace?

The last gifts are barely unwrapped and we’re already wrestling with some of mankind’s most compelling questions: How to celebrate the arrival of the New Year? How long will it take to get used to writing “2012”? How to pay the “merry Christmas” expenses?

But a greater question is what 2012 will offer: What joys, disappointments, achievements and surprises lurk at the turn of the calendar?

The sun is setting on an old year,
making room for a new one.

The ballyhooed transition from 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2011 to 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2012 is largely a global timeline convenience, but it still spawns hope and anticipation – an opportunity to start fresh, vowing to avoid past mistakes and determining to make corrections in the new year.

Columnist Craig Wilson of USA Today wrote, “The best thing about 2012 is that it is a blank slate – a year when anything can happen.... The future? A wide-open road.” 

So what will be written on your “slate”? What course will your “wide-open road” follow?

Some people make resolutions: “I resolve to (fill in the blank).” As I’ve written before, I never make resolutions. They’re easy to break, and once broken, we discard them. Instead, I set goals – tangible, measurable targets, both short-term and long-term. They may include losing a few pounds or learning something new. Or they might be to work on being healthier or more fit, or read some mind-expanding books.

As each new year starts, I maintain an annual tradition of reviewing the year past and setting specific goals for the months ahead. Goals will relate to work, relationships, finances, my physical well-being. Perhaps you’ll do the same.

But have you ever considered setting spiritual goals as well? Granted, we can’t truly gauge spiritual growth. As I see it, God is the only one that can accurately measure that. However, we can set goals that can enhance our spiritual state. Goals like spending time in the Scriptures each day, or reading a challenging, thoughtfully written devotional book. Memorizing some meaningful Bible verses. Setting aside specific time to pray each day.

Everyone’s goals must be their own, but while you’re considering the intellectual, physical and relational aspects of your life, I’d encourage you to also set a goal or two to address the spiritual facet of your life.

In Isaiah 43:18-19, God reminds us to always be looking forward, eager to see what He is going to do: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

Living in a world that seems to have more than its share of desert and wasteland, I plan to set a few spiritual goals to make sure I’m open to what God wants to show me – and teach me – during the coming year.