New Year, New Plans

Many of us are setting and beginning to execute our goals for 2024. The bible instructs us in Habakkuk 2:2: write the vision and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. As it states in Proverbs 29:18, where there is no vision, the people perish. Now, failing to write down your vision does not mean you are going to physically die, but it does lead to a spiritual death.

Our vision and goals we set should be rooted in our relationship with Christ. For example, if we want to lose weight, our focus should be on how to better take care of our body as it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. If our goal is to save money, our focus should be on being a good steward of our finances. We should save so we can buy things in cash versus obtaining debt through loans. The Bible lets us know in Proverbs 22:7, that the borrower is a slave to the lender. 

I personally have a better success rate when I commit my plans to the Lord vs doing it for personal gain. When I know I am doing something for Christ, my entire attitude is different. I want it to be done well and in excellence, and I will do my best to complete it to the fullest versus when I do it for myself. If I am carrying out plans only for my benefit, my attitude is “if it gets done, it gets done.” 

The fact that this year may not go as planned, does not mean that you shouldn’t plan. Time will pass and it is not God’s will that we just roll right through it with no sense of awareness of what we have given back to Him. We have to avoid the trap of spiritual laziness where we have “faith” and are trusting God, naming it and claiming it, and putting in zero work. 

The Lord tapped me on the shoulder a couple years ago and said it was MY TURN! No, not a prophecy for blessings and miracles, but my turn to do the work. I was having a come to Jesus moment where the Lord was like “look, now I’ve died on the cross for your sins, then left the Holy Spirit with you to give you power, how much more do I need to do for you? Admittedly, there was a period of time where I truly expected Jesus to get out of his seat and descend from heaven to do what he’s given me the hands, feet, and mouth to do. My faith said “I’m just waiting on the Lord” and the Lord was looking at me like - but, I’m waiting on you! A saying used a lot in church is “however the Lord leads me.” That is only spiritual if it is followed by prayer, fasting, and truly seeking the Lord for direction. Saying “however the Lord leads me” with no effort to fervently seek him out is a cop out that yields no results. 

December 2024 will come if the Lord tarries. When you look back on the year, what efforts will you be able to say you made to be a better follower of Christ? If you don’t plan anything, you will reach the end of the year with time passed and no fruit. Don’t be the servant with one talent who buried His master’s treasure. Let’s give God what is due him in 2024. Let us plan and write out a vision that will bring Him glory, then get to work.