It’s inspiring to spend time with someone focused on a big goal. A big goal quietly excludes many lesser ones. Bodybuilders avoid empty carbs. Solo musicians carve out large chunks of time daily for practice. Olympic athletes likewise devote massive amounts of training to their sport. Big goals, by their very nature, require a lot of saying ‘No,’ to anything that would be a distraction. Call it focus. Call it determination. The ultimate worth one places on a goal makes it simpler to stay the course, to keep ‘eyes on the prize.’
If our ‘big goal’ is living the life Jesus gave us, then the abundance of tempting aromas and detours along the way are easier to encounter without stumbling, without ‘falling off the proverbial wagon.’ But this commitment comes at a cost, with sacrifice, since the world offers a super-abundance of lesser things; near-irresistible, delectable, goal-erasing, lesser things. It also deceitfully promises the delivery of instant satisfaction.
If our ‘big goal’ is living the life Jesus gave us, then his Yes! and Amen! Promises strengthen our resolve.
If our ‘big goal’ is living the life Jesus gave us, then his provision of a family of likeminded goal setters is a boost to our morale.
If our ‘big goal’ is living the life Jesus gave us, then all the ‘tools’ he’s given us build us up and encourage us to encourage others (which further encourages us).
If our ‘big goal’ is living the life Jesus gave us, then the Holy Spirit’s leadings get clearer and more easily discernible.
If our ‘big goal’ is living the life Jesus gave us, then it’s true that ‘the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.’ (Hallelujah!)
If our ‘big goal’ is living the life Jesus gave us, then we’ll need each other when the distracting winds blow, when our vision gets blurry, when our stick-to-it-ive-ness wobbles, when we get weary in welldoing.
If our ‘big goal’ is living the life Jesus gave us, then 2024 is going to be one amazing series of glorious discoveries, puny, hardly worth mentioning trials, and the arrival, December 31, at our Finish Line!
Y’all in? PD
