TO BE GOD-ORIENTED MEANS WE SHOULD BE GOAL-ORIENTED

The only way we can win the war, as did the countless servicemen and women in the past, is to focus on the goal—victory. We believers can win the victory over sin by focusing on our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has already won the victory for us. Hallelujah!

Eternal Perspectives              by Sally Bair

Goal-oriented

I’ve always kept a list of goals: some yearly, others monthly or weekly and always daily. They keep me focused on my tasks. But I’ve learned not to make my goal-keeping too rigid. Allowing for interruptions and other changes of plans, I sometimes must rewrite them or add them to tomorrow’s list.

I formulate goals for my writing and my daily life. Because I fail at times, I find myself rescheduling the goals over and over, unwilling to throw them out.

Sometimes I fail to keep my spiritual goals, too. My heart tells me I need to spend time in God’s presence and in His Word every day. But my head takes charge, pulling me toward less important things and away from my Creator and Savior.

Paul wrote that it is important to keep our focus on the things of God. “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12)

In his letters, Paul often referred to athletes and how they must focus on the finish line at the end of a foot race. Runners today also train themselves to focus on their finish line, not allowing anything to deter or distract them. We believers in Christ are encouraged to do the same. Paul said we must forget the things which are behind and reach toward the goal ahead. We know it’s impossible to win a race by looking over our shoulder or glancing to the side. In order to win, we must focus on the goal.  

Like Paul, we can choose to forget our past mistakes, grief and glory. We can choose instead to consider the prize of living both now and forever with God’s forgiveness and love, His presence, power, peace and joy. There is no greater prize.

Lord, thank You for today and all the joys You offer in it. Strengthen our resolve to make Your prize of eternal life, now and forever, a worthy goal for us to reach. Show us how to better run Your race and guide us in each step toward that prize. In Jesus’ name, amen.