No matter how many times you’ve given up or failed, go again.
Where are you in achieving your goals this year? You sought God’s will and prayerfully made your plans at the start or before this new year began. If you haven’t, check out my New Year Plans post to get going in the right direction. It’s not too late. If you have, I pray that you are having a successful start as you continue pursuing your what He wants you to accomplish this year.
If you are having a rough start or things are not going exactly the way you have planned them to go, keep going. DON’T GIVE UP! GO AGAIN!
Let’s look at two things that can kill your desire to go again: unrealistic expectations and not embracing the process.
What’s Your Expectation?
Unrealistic Expectation #1: It Shouldn’t Be This Hard
““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”” John 16:33 NIV
Don’t buy into the lie that what God has called you to accomplish or achieve this year is suppose to be easy. Life happens. There will be troubles or challenges you will have to face in pursuit of your goals and calling. The journey to accomplishing your goals this year will not be a straight, problem free path. You have to overcome obstacles and challenges to reach victory. In Christ you can have peace in and through it all. The plan you created does not account for challenges you might face. Even if you thought of possible challenges there is no way for you to anticipate every one you will have to face. Adjustments will have to be made in your plan. Even when it’s not easy, don’t give up.
Unrealistic Expectation #2: I Should Be Able To Do This By Myself
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Philippians 4:13 KJV
Notice the verse did not stop at I can do all things. It continues to say that it is through Christ strengthening you. Are you trying in your own strength to accomplish your goals and pursue your calling? That’s probably why you want to give up. God given purpose and callings are not attainable in our own strength. Whatever God called and created you to is beyond your own strength and capabilities. God wants to put His power and grace on display in and through your life. Shift your dependency from being on yourself to Him.
Seek the Lord and trust His leading. If you are a believer, you have the best Helper that exists on the inside of you. The Holy Spirit knows where you need to go and how to get you there if you submit to Him. Don’t be prideful. God may send people to help you open doors you can’t open on your own. Submit to Him and loosen the grip you have on your plans. You can’t do it alone.
Embrace The Process
Go again and embrace the process. Yes there will be challenges but you will grow from them.
So you missed the mark or you failed a task in pursuing your goals for this year. You missed a deadline or didn’t achieve all the things you planned to on your checklist so far. You made a plan but already the plan failed. Already it seems a though the plan isn’t working. What do you do?
Learn from your perceived failures and mistakes and make adjustments. Identify what didn’t work and go again. The goal isn’t the problem unless it is something God told you not to do or pursue. Wanting to sprint to success is the problem. Embrace the process. There are things you will learn and gain along the way. In process your character has to be build. There are things about yourself and God you will learn. There are resources and skills you will gain, learn, and develop that be vital to you walking in your calling. Don’t let the the change off the process stop you. Embrace it and go again.
Change is hard. Accept the fact that you have to go through some things to grow. Failure is not permanent unless you accept it to be. God wants your yes despite the challenges you face. He’s with you.
“Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:20-21 NIV
See your plan as a fluid document, not something that is concrete that you must follow flawlessly. Your initial plan for the year will only work in ideal circumstances. Life’s events are not always ideal. It is wise to accept the discipline required to follow the plan but you have to adjust the plan as the Lord leads you to even when it’s just Him getting you back on track because you veered off.
“Then the LORD answered me and said, “Write the vision And engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets So that the one who reads it will run. For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, Because it will certainly come; it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:2-3 AMP
The verse says write the vision and make it plain. It doesn’t say write the plan and follow it verbatim. Plans are good and God uses them. Plans are good but they are not God. Worship God, not the plan. Pursue the vision He gave you but be directed by God through His Spirit.
Don’t Delay! Keep Going or Go Again
Losing momentum? Keep going in faith and trust the Holy Spirit to help you. Given up? Get up and go again. Don’t give up or forfeit your, calling, purpose, or inheritance.
As you prayerfully make adjustments to your plan (digits) and have the determination to go again or keep going (fitness), you will achieve all that you have been predestined to accomplish this year and the years to come through the power of the Holy Spirit. Go Again!
Fitness By Digits