“Please keep reminding me that the higher I go with You, the closer I get to my ultimate goal: the heights of heaven—an eternity with You!”
– Jesus Listens, July 22nd
It has been said that there are three types of people in the world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened. You don’t want it to be number two or three, do you? And yet, that’s where the bulk of humanity usually ends up spending most of their time.
God’s goal
How do you avoid it? The personal-development industry says the answer is to set goals for yourself so you can accomplish great things and make your dreams into reality. And that’s good thinking—as far as it goes. There’s a tremendous amount of common sense behind goal-setting. So many people have no clue what they want in life, much less how to go about getting it. They forget a very simple rule: you can’t hit a target if you don’t have a bullseye.
Goal-setting gives you that bullseye to aim for. Unfortunately, there’s a problem with it—a problem the personal-development industry, predictably, never brings up.
As you carefully map out your own goals, you also have to consider what God’s goals for you might be. God is already in the future. He already knows what will fulfill you—and what won’t. Without taking His will into account, you’re working on only half the equation. That’s why so many people who achieve “success” are still unhappy. That’s why so many people who are rich and famous commit suicide, they got caught in the world’s trap. They followed their plan instead of God’s.
They forgot the main rule of all goal setting: your dream is not necessarily your destiny. Your destiny is the thing God wants for you. It’s the thing that will give you the most purpose, the most meaning, the most happiness, the most fulfillment. The question is, what’s the best strategy for taking action that’s both humanly effective and spiritually intelligent?
The three most important things I can tell you are the following:
1.
In every situation you find yourself in, whether it’s at work, in a family, in a friendship, in a business, or even in a simple everyday conversation, insofar as it’s possible, always be the person who adds the most value. Remember, Christ said that anyone who wants to be first must be last of all and servantof all. He knew what He was talking about! Therefore, always be the one who gives the most. Always be the one who contributes the most. Always be the one who loves the most. If you do that, the people around you—even the ones who are jealous at first—will help guide you to the next level to the place you need to be, the place you’re supposed to be.
2.
In order to be the person who adds the most value to every situation, you have to work on improving yourself every day. And doesn’t that make sense? To give the most, you have to have the most. Therefore, you should always be trying to increase your knowledge about different subjects, always trying to discipline yourself, always trying to control your negative emotions, always trying to be more appreciative and cheerful and humorous and kind and understanding and forgiving. Like a great chef, you must always be sharpening your knives. Of course, you don’t have to do it all at once. This is something you do little by little, step by step, slowly but consistently over a long period of time. The bottom line is, don’t waste so much money on material things! Instead, spend your money on ways to improve yourself so you can better assist others, so you can become the person who gives the most.
3.
I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that if you’re praying constantly for God’s guidance, that same God will inspire you with the best possible action steps to achieve your objectives. Remember, God made the universe and everything in it, so when you’re in union with Him, you’re in union with the source of all creative power. You’re actually tapping into creative genius. A human mind connected to God is like a giant supercomputer, if the goals you set are in line with what God wants for you, then when you ask Him in what direction to go, He’s going to give you the answer.
Create a destiny
This can be a very important day for you! Be creative. Be daring. Be holy. Find some time to get away for an afternoon and focus on just this subject alone, and then start setting some inspiring goals. Include them in your daily prayers, persevere, and have faith that the same God who created you out of nothing can help you create a destiny for yourself more magnificent than your wildest dreams.
About The Author
Anthony DeStefano is an American author and television host. He has written five bestselling Christian books for adults, including A Travel Guide to Heaven and Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To. He has also written 15 bestselling books for children, including The Donkey That No One Could Ride and Little Star. Anthony has appeared on many national television and radio programs, including Fox and Friends, CNN, EWTN, the 700 Club, and Focus on the Family Radio. He is an avid pilot, and lives with his wife, Jordan, in New Jersey.
