Table of contents for Goals: Where is Your Focus?

1. Is Your Focus on the Goal or the Obstacles? Pt. 1
2. Is Your Focus on the Goal or the Obstacles? Pt. 2

It is an important principle of success to focus more on your goal than the obstacles that come against you, or even the steps to achieve it. 

(This is Part 2 of a two part post in which we’ll cover quotes from historical figures on goal focus as well as how  focus affects your spiritual goals.  Part 1 of this post covered reasons, results, and benefits of focusing on your goal. If you missed Part 1 of this post, please click here to read Part 1 now.)

Famous literary authors have encouraged people through generations to “focus on the goal.”

Though Ralph Waldo Emerson is well-known for his quote, “Life is a journey, not a destination,” encouraging people to enjoy each day of life as opposed to only allowing oneself to enjoy achievements, he also promoted keeping one’s destination in view.

To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Orison Swett Marden, known for his philosophies on one’s thoughts influencing  life and circumstances, pointed out the determining factor in the success of focusing on the goal:

We advance on our journey only when we face our goal, when we are confident and believe we are going to win out.  Orison Swett Marden

Instruction on one’s spiritual journey also involves a clear, constant focus on the goals.

This same principle should be added to your daily spiritual life. Do not settle for where you are. There are greater, unknown aspects waiting to be discovered with your spiritual life and communication levels with God. Grow and benefit by setting goals and keeping them in focus. Here are quotes from Scripture instructing you to approach spiritual life and growth like a runner in a race, free from distractions and hindrances, focused on the clear goal:

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. Phil 3:13-15

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training…Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly…so that I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Cor. 9:24-27

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Heb. 12:1

Believe that you will reach your goals – spiritually, financially, relationally, or otherwise. Then keep daily focus on those goals. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the trip or any apparent lack of progress, you can live effectively and experience greater joy knowing that each day is a day closer to your heart’s desire.

Table of contents for Goals: Where is Your Focus?

1. Is Your Focus on the Goal or the Obstacles? Pt. 1
2. Is Your Focus on the Goal or the Obstacles? Pt. 2

An important principle of success is staying more focused on the goal than the present obstacles or even the steps to reaching it.

I was reminded of this principle while working toward the completion of all the necessary seasonal responsibilities in my garden. I have quite extensive gardens with a large variety of plants, including over 30 antique rose bushes. Though I have always enjoyed gardening, this time of year’s seasonal requirements get very overwhelming as it takes about 3 months to complete due to other life responsibilities. The care and upkeep is probably too extensive for this time in life, but, when we designed and planted it 15 years ago, it was not possible to foresee the changes in career, family responsibilities, and physical energy that would take place in the future. It is a temptation to cause myself continual displeasure by solely viewing all the tasks yet undone rather than staying focused on the end result, or enjoying the present pleasures in my garden during the process of the oiling, fertilizing, pruning, and mulching to reach the goal; my garden will become a healthy, lush one that is a delight to the eyes and a joy to share with friends and family.

Here are some results of staying more focused on the end goal than the present obstacles or process:

1. You will maintain a level emotional state of joy and fulfillment, knowing the end of the process will come; you will live the fulfillment of that goal.

2. A clearer focus of your future goals/objectives allows you to be more effective in your present decisions with regard to the future goal.

3. You will maintain a higher energy level when focused daily on the final goal rather than the overall process to achieve it.

Many realms of practical life prove the benefit of staying focused on the goal or end result.

Life coaches, motivational speakers, and business instructors all tell us to “write out” the goals we want to achieve, write out the plan we envision, even the restoration that we need. Writing develops a clear mental picture of the desired end. In turn, this process enables one to notice relevant, beneficial opportunities related to the goal and make wiser decisions to reach the goal all due to staying daily focused on the end picture. It is the Law of Attraction in action.

The benefits of this principle of focusing on the goal flow into more aspects of one’s life than we are usually aware of – personal goals, financial goals, career changes, restoration – but even in the little things. Remember drivers’ education class? When teaching Interstate driving, they instruct you to focus on where the road meets the horizon; if, instead, you only look at the few cars in front of you or a short distance of the open road in front of you, your driving will be unsteady and erratic. You will weave back and forth unknowingly and overcompensate in decisions. It is the same in every aspect of one’s life. Staying focused on the goal will keep you from being unsteady and erratic, wavering from the desired goal, and overcompensating in decisions.

(This is Part 1 of a two part post.  In Part 2, we will cover quotes from historical figures on goal focus as well as how  focus affects your spiritual goals.)

I recently read a very valuable article which covered many essential aspects of rebuilding your life to be the healthy, effective life that you desire to live. Kim Child’s article featured quotes from 3 life coach experts, footnoted below, to explain how to make lasting changes for a life that you will love. She discovered most effective life makeovers involve starting with (a) small steps, (b) setting boundaries, and (c) reaching out for support. Here are excerpts from the main points in Ms. Child’s article:

First, look at what is already working well in your life.

Even when a person feels like everything in his life must be changed, usually there are some things that are working well which should be noted and appreciated. Life coach Victoria Moran suggests to list 10 things for which you are grateful about in your life each morning before getting out of bed.(1)

Second, take time for prayer, meditation, and/or journaling before the day’s agenda begins.

This is essential to craft a health lifestyle and stay centered [on what is healthful, best, and important] in the midst of change.(1)

Third, it is importance to focus on a daily plan of nutrition and exercise.

Moran refers to this as “taking care of the vehicle,” saying, “Regardless of what you want in life, you have to get it in this physical body…You’re not going to have a very good shot at changing your attitude and thinking positive thoughts if those thoughts have to be filtered through a brain that is living on junk food and doesn’t have enough oxygen because you don’t exercise.(1)

Fourth, once one has begun to make positive changes, he needs to clean up the environment in which the old, self-destructive habits flourished.

Ms. Childs next refers to life coach Cheryl Richardson for input on how people pleasers have to start saying “No” and setting boundaries where boundaries did not exist before. Ms. Richardson says that as people learn to practice taking better care of themselves, former habits in relationships need to change. “In order to live a high-quality life – a life that truly honors your self-care — you have to master the art of disappointing people, making them angry or hurting their feelings.” Avoiding the discomfort of displeasing others results in “living for others, becoming resentful or even sick, and struggling with relationships when resentments build.” Richardson advises people to think ahead of time of a response that is truthful, respectful, but direct enough to communicate that you are saying “No.”(2)  [This is similar to the chapter from Cloud and Townsend's "Boundaries" in which says it is often necessary to hurt people to do what is right and healthy for you; this does not "harm" the person, even though it may hurt their feelings. This realization helps you implement such changes. Click here to read the post, When is Pain Good? ]

Fifth, starting over with re-making one’s life means setting boundaries for yourself, too, by changing areas that are messy, neglected, or out of balance.

Home and work environments need to be de-cluttered to “honor your deepest need for things like joy, beauty, rest, creative expression, and peace.” Investing in these basic needs first will then allow one to focus successfully on areas such as financial debt and poor relationships. An uncluttered home is soul nourishing and an investment in your financial health. With relationships that are “one way streets, you need to focus on telling the truth in your relationships and letting toxic people go.”(2)

Sixth, create a circle of support to practice self-care and stay on track as your true dreams and desires become more apparent.

This is especially necessary when family members or friends do not understand or appreciate one’s new ways. Without support and accountability, old habits will slip back in, causing you to fall short of success. These support groups are essential to keep you from feeling that you have lost your mind when family and friends are lacking in understanding.(2)

Seventh, envision the life that you dream of having.

[As with the Law of Attraction, and even with the scriptural principle of visualization that God gave Abraham for his promised descendants, it is important to be able to visualize where your life needs to go. For more on this, read the post Visualizing Your Dreams.] As described by Bob Doyle in his program “Wealth Beyond Reason,” a person’s thoughts, emotions, and expectations shape their life experiences.”   Doyle also encourages a network of support, making the valid point that “It doesn’t matter how much you know intellectually about a particular thing, there’s always going to be somebody who sees you differently than you are able to see yourself.”(3)

Excerpts from “Fall in Love with Your Life,” Kim Childs, pp. 24-27, Natural Awakenings, February 2009 issue.

(1) Quotes from life coach Victoria Moran’s “Living a Charmed Life: Your Guide to Finding Magic in Every Moment and Meaning in Every Day.”
(2) Quotes from life coach Cheryl Richardson’s “The Art of Extreme Self-Care.”
(3) Quotes from Bob Doyle’s at BoundlessLiving.com

Table of contents for Divine Revelation

1. Divine Revelation: Reality, Necessity, or Hoax? Part 1
2. Divine Revelation: Reality, Necessity, or Hoax? Part 2

Why does divine revelation appear not to happen for you or others you know?

There are enough hoaxes and error in society to make a person question as to whether or not God really speaks to mankind.  Usually, it does not appear to happen to people we know.  (This is Part 2 of a 2 part post.  If you missed Part 1, please use the series link above to read Part 1 which covers why people not expect divine revelation and how Scripture says divine revelation comes. )  First, there is the point mentioned in Part 1 of this post, that if you did not realize that God speaks or reveals truths to mankind, you may have unintentionally “tuned out” the thoughts, not realizing that they were from God, thinking they were just random thoughts of your own.

Second, there is the aspect of expectation. In the very first quote of this post from Ps. 146:5, it says that the God of special revelation is the help of those whose hope or expectation is in God; in other words, a special revelation of help  comes to the person who is expecting it. This is in agreement with a main concept Jesus taught, that “According to your faith it will be done to you (Mt. 9:29).” As in the philosophy of the Law of Attraction, if you are not expecting something good, you will not be aware of the opportunities when they become available. In this case, if you are not expecting God to speak, you would not hear direction from God because your lack of expectation keeps you from listening for it.

How do people get off track with divine revelations?

Your mind can have many “voices” which sometimes can be distracting to the voice of God’s Spirit. It is similar to the term of when one’s “mind is racing.” All kinds of thoughts can run through your mind at once, some being your thoughts, others being the thoughts of family and friends, the voice of God’s Spirit, and even voices of evil.

First, remember that discernment is learned. Jesus said that His sheep know His voice (Jn.10:4). Just as an animal learns the voice of its master through the experience of communication, you learn God’s voice through the experience of communication during prayer and study of the scriptures, God’s written words.

Second, realize that, as God is perfect, He will not and cannot contradict Himself. What He speaks now will not contradict what He has already been spoken. Obviously, there has to be a standard greater than yourself as a guide. Scriptures say in 2 Cor. 10:12, “When they compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” That is why knowledge of the scriptures is key, so you compare what you hear in your spirit to what God has revealed about His character in the written Word. If thoughts in your mind contradict the character of God or His instructions for life, those thoughts are not the result of divine revelation.

Third, divine revelation will have positive, healing, restorative results. Let’s look a little more specifically at this point.

What are the results of divine revelation?

If the thought is not a divine revelation but off track, the results of acting on it will not be positive. These quotes are samples of what God says are the results of acting on divine revelation of God’s will and purposes for you:

Acquaint now yourself with Him, agree with God and show yourself to be conformed to His will, and be at peace; by that you shall prosper and great good shall come to you. Job 22:21

And all your spiritual children shall be disciples taught by the Lord and obedient to His will, and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children. Is.54:13

And know and understand His will and discerningly approve the better things and have a sense of what is vital.. Romans 2:18

I could put many more similar quotes here, but the point is clear that the results of divine revelation will bring peace, prosperity, great good, undisturbed composure, and a discernment of what is best and vital in life. These are results that are in line with the character of God as well as with His written Word.

Does divine revelation take place? Yes, it does. It is for the purpose of the Spirit of God communicating with your spirit. If you have never expected it, now is a good time to begin!  God desires for you to receive special revelations that bring you a happy, peaceful, blessed, fortunate, and enviable life!

Table of contents for Divine Revelation

1. Divine Revelation: Reality, Necessity, or Hoax? Part 1
2. Divine Revelation: Reality, Necessity, or Hoax? Part 2

The amount of error and/or hoaxes seen in society by all of us are enough to make one question whether or not God speaks to mankind.

Still, the complexity of life makes a person desire someone more powerful, more knowledgeable than himself to look to, interact with, and rely on. I came across a great quote last week regarding this:

Happy, blessed, fortunate, enviable is he who has the God of special revelation for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God. (Ps.146:5, Amp)

It is quite fitting, as a person would be truly happy, blessed, fortunate, and to be envied if he or she has God Almighty providing special revelations of wisdom, insight, and direction to help him/her through life. The Hebrew word here for “hope” means expectation. Not many of us can say that we live in that state, whose “expectation is in the Lord his God of special revelation.”

Why do most people not expect divine revelation?

Other than the apparent faux pas or hoaxes that bring discredit to the concept of divine revelation, the idea I heard most quoted while growing up in religious circles was this one:

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him… (1 Cor.2:9)

People use this quote as a form of religious tradition to say that God does not speak. This is one of those instances that prove how important it is to study the written Words of God for yourself and not go by what you hear. Notice the  three periods “…” at the end of the above quote. It is because this is a partial quote – only a part of the original sentence. People relying solely on religious “tradition” are unaware of the full sentence which goes on to say-

…but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Cor. 2:10)

The concept of us never knowing the plans of God or “will of God” for our lives sounds logical if one only know the first part of that sentence. It is helpful to refer here to another quote from Jn.10:27, which says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Why would Jesus say that those who seek God listen to His voice if God does not speak to mankind? Clearly, God Himself does say that He speaks to mankind of His plans and purposes for our lives.

How does divine revelation come?

We are not solely physical beings; we are physical beings in which live an eternal spirit created by God. The communication takes place between your spirit and God’s Spirit. God says,

The Spirit will announce and declare to you the things that are to come — that will happen in the future. He will honor and glorify Me; He will take, receive, draw upon what is Mine and will reveal, declare, disclose, transmit it to you. (Jn. 16:13,14 Amp) (*1)

The Spirit of Truth will guide you into all truth. (Jn.16:13)

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (Jn. 14:26)

So, yes, God’s Spirit does communicate with your spirit. If you have never thought it possible before, you may have either tuned it out or not recognized it, thinking the ideas were just your own thoughts.

God’s Spirit does speak guidance and wisdom to mankind so that one can live an effective, fulfilling life. Psalm 143:10 says, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Again, scriptures emphasize that the Spirit of God does teach you the will of God, i.e. His plans and purposes, for your life. God does also reveal spiritual truths or insights-

We pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the full, deep, and clear knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom, in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God, and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things. (Col. 1:9)

(This is Part 1 of a 2 Part Post.  In Part 2 we will continue with, “Why does divine revelation not appear to come to most people?” and “Where do people get off track?” )
(*1.  A note about the Amplified translation, one of my personal favorite translation to study.  In John 16:14, you see the phrase ” reveal, declare, disclose, transmit.”  These are 4 meanings of the original Greek word used in that quote.  The Amplified translation expands out main words from the original Hebrew and Greek texts to include all the meanings of the original word. Hence, “amplified.” )

 Fear is a major factor of everyday life in the times in which we live.  It is a force that one must come to terms with.  Fear can control one’s life, altering your every decision. It can change your health due to the stress it creates.  It can steal creativity and rational thought. It hinders spiritual receptivity.  It is a force that cannot be ignored or it will grow in control and dominate your life.

Make the decision to be in control of your thoughts.

It is vital to control your thoughts, rather than allowing them to have free, random access to your mind – the center of all your decision making.  This positive habit is referred to as “taking captive” every thought.   A simpler way to express it may be to say that whatever controls your thought life controls you. Is fear the center of your attention?

You may feel that it is necessary to fear.  With all the uncertainty with the economy, with the instability of the political world, it may give you a false sense of doing something constructive by worrying about all of it.  However, worrying about what is beyond your control is destructive in far more ways than just those mentioned in the first paragraph of this post.  No one else can make this change for you.  Nor will it be easy at first, especially if it is a long engrained habit, but you must make the decision to “take captive” your thoughts, removing the fear that runs rampant in your mind.

Here is an illustration to help you grasp how vital it is to the well-being of the various aspects of your life to remove fear from the center of your attention.

I want you to imagine the fears in your thought life as raging waves of the ocean.  You are in the center of all these raging waves.  As you keep the center of your focus on all the raging waves, the fear is overwhelming.  You may say, “But I have to focus on the raging waves!  They are a danger to me.  It would be irresponsible not to focus my attention on their threat.”  All the while, someone has come up behind you in a ship and thrown out a life preserver to you.  The life preserver is there bobbing in the water, but you are completely missing the life-giving, life-preserving opportunities because you are focused on what is causing you fear.

Many things in life will bring fear and those fears will take control if you do not decide to take fearful thoughts captive. Freedom from fear only comes as you first start with the decision to remove fear from the center of your attention.

We all have areas in our lives where, in the past, we began investing great time and energy.  We stuck with that particular thing through the years out of habit or routine.  The investment of energy became just a part of life.  You can gain greater satisfaction by freeing your life of areas that are a drain on your energy and unprofitable to your overall wellness.  The time or energy invested is truly no longer worth the value you are getting from it.

What types of things can now be unprofitable investments for your life energies?

–Sometimes there are daily or weekly habits that were a part of goals from the past that are no longer worth your energies.  Why?  You change in your desires and maturity as you age.  Certain things that were goals are no longer of importance to you.  Is there anything like that in your life?  Free up that time and energy for new goals that fit with the person you are now.

–There are often projects in which we have been investing time, energy, and finances which are no longer of the same level of interest to you, or will no longer benefit you as you had originally planned. It could be time to let it go and re-invest your time, energy, and money elsewhere.

–Lastly, take a look at relationships. This is not an admonition to thoughtlessly end life-long relationships, such as family or marriage ties.  If a situation like that seems abusive or unjust, get some professional help from a counselor or pastor, someone outside the situation who can be objective; even with that, consider such changes cautiously.  However, here I am emphasizing relationships that have gone on for years that are one-sided; you are always giving, the other person is always taking. It is the type of relationship/friendship you got into as a child or young adult when you were not discerning of different personality types and how they affect you. Some people hang on to bad childhood relationships way into midlife before realizing that the other person never takes it upon him or herself to pour into their lives. Such as person consistently drains your energy physically, emotionally, and maybe even spiritually, as well as using your valuable time which cannot be gotten back, or even expecting repeated financial bailouts for their irresponsibilities.

You only take this path through life once!

Life is too precious to allow your time or energies to be wasted, even in a single day. What habits, goals, projects, or relationships have you hung on to in your daily lifestyle that time has proven not to be the value you once thought they would be?

Let’s end with this illustration.  There is a parable of a farmer sowing seed into a variety of soils with widely varying productivity. It is used to described the productivity of different people’s lives to the receiving of God’s Word; however, the application fits life productivity overall. The type of soil described as thorny, is a person’s whose life is choked of its possible productivity by cares, anxieties, and distractions, making life fruitless (Mk.4:19,20 Amp). There is no need for you, or anyone else, to have that be the commentary on your life. Instead of a fruitless life, the person’s life could have seen productivity of 30, 60, or 100 times greater than the effort put into it.

What in your life is a “fruitless” venture?  What is a distraction from better things and a waste of your life’s energies?

Take some time this week during an afternoon or evening. Free yourself of the things that are fruitless. Begin enjoying renewed focus on projects, people, and goals that bring profitable results you can enjoy from your time and energies.

(This is an unusual post, but I think you’ll enjoy it.) People often ask me how to hear from God. They want help and direction for their decisions. They desire wisdom and success for their lives. God has promised both:

If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of ]the giving God, Who gives to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given you. Jm. 1:5 Amp

God will give us wisdom liberally regardless of our faults. He obviously wants us to have the benefit of His wisdom.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Is. 30:21 Amp

This is a straight forward promise of clear direction for our decisions.

Since God desires us to have the benefit both of His wisdom and clear direction, any lack of receiving it is a matter of our ability to hear it.

Just as with a pet learning the voice of its new master, we learn to hear God’s voice to our spirits through a simple process of repetition.

In helping people understand how to hear the voice of God in their spirits, I have used the illustration of a lost pet recognizing its owner. The organization which has the lost pet can easily tell if a person is the owner of that pet because the pet will instantly recognize and respond to the owner’s voice. The pet, depending on how friendly it is, may respond positively to anyone who approaches to give it attention, but there is a completely unique and obvious response by the pet to the sound of its owner’s voice.

Now let’s back up in the process. Those of you who are pet owners may follow this scenario more fully. When you first got a pet, it did not respond to your voice like it does now that it clearly knows it. When you first get home from work and call to your pet, it joyfully responds to the familiarity of your voice and instantly is reminded of all the good that is associated with you — just by the sound of your voice. How did it happen? The same way it happens with you and God. Your pet came to clearly know and recognize your voice from all other voices, sounds, and input it receives by daily listening to your voice. And not just daily listening, but many times in each day.

We come to clearly know and recognize God’s voice from all the other voices in our lives that run through our minds-our own thoughts, thoughts from TV and other media, thoughts put there by family and friends-through frequent, consistent listening. This is the main principle necessary to improve the ability of your spirit to hear wisdom and direction from God-frequent, consistent listening. You may ask, but how do I distinguish God’s wisdom and direction from all the other input in my mind if I’m just starting out in the listening process? The explanation of a safeguard will answer this question as well.

To begin to recognize God’s wisdom and direction when you aren’t used to hearing it yet in your spirit, and to safeguard yourself, you need to submit to the concept of absolutes.

I have some friends who believe that everything is “relative,” is changeable, that there are no definites in the universe. This has not proved to be a very beneficial concept for them in their practical, daily lives. Though many things do change continually in various aspects of the universe, you safeguard your own spirit by knowing and realizing certain concepts are absolute or unchanging.

For example, the Scriptures reveal God’s nature and aspects of His character, such as His unfailing love, His mercy, etc. They also reveal what type of things, according to God’s character, that He will or will not do. To safeguard your spirit from thinking that you are hearing certain wisdom or direction from God when the thoughts may not be His, it is necessary to know God’s character, His heart, what types of thoughts and actions are typical of His nature and personality. These are revealed to you in Scripture. Since He said of Himself that He does not change, as long as you know the characteristics of His personality or character or mind, however you wish to describe it, then you can judge the wisdom and direction you believe you are hearing in your mind by the absolutes of God’s character; God will not say something that contradicts, or is against, His character or nature. To use an overly obvious example, He will not instruct you to do something that harms yourself or someone else. Learn the absolutes of His character; then, even though you may just be starting out to listen with your spirit for the wisdom and direction of God, you safeguard yourself from error.

Jesus also used the example of animals learning and knowing the voice of their owner as an example of learning and knowing His own voice.

Mk. 6:34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. This verse reveals that He wants us to have the wisdom and direction that come from knowing His voice; since the people were without direction – like a group of sheep without the shepherd to care for them – Jesus responded by teaching them.

Jn. 10:3,4 The sheep listen to the shepherd’s voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. Notice Jesus says that he goes ahead of us so we can follow Him. Another illustration of His desire to lead us and that we have the ability to follow His voice!

Jn. 10:14 I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.

Jn. 10:27 The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. Amp

I recently mentioned to a friend about a common denominator that I came across while studying the success stories of people whose lives had endured complete collapse financially, physically, and career-wise. The recovery or life restoration of every person I have studied, both in the secular and religious worlds, resulted from a commitment to writing out a clear list of life goals. It sounds so simple. In many ways, it is. Yet it is absolutely vital to seeing the manifestation of your restoration. Whether the purpose of your goal setting is the complete restoration of a collapsed life, the reaching of some childhood dreams, or accomplishing your destiny, a clearly written list is still an absolute necessity.

This practical illustration reveals why the manifestation of your goals must go beyond just visualization.

Many people have probably seen the photos of the beach communities in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. The devastation looked must like that of an earthquake. Nothing could be seen for miles except complete rubble. Among those people who lost their homes, there was bound to be at least one architect or contractor.

An expert home builder may know all that there is to build himself a new home, but he will never begin the rebuilding without “writing it out,” without a blueprint. An expert builder who lost his home in that disaster may be able to see the image in his mind of the new home for the rebuilding, but he will not rebuild without that blueprint, without putting it in writing. And, to further the analogy, the expert builder may not know where all the funds for the rebuilding will come from, he may not know where all the labor for the rebuilding will come from, but he will still write out the plan for the rebuilding; he knows that the written plan is necessary first before any rebuilding can take place in the physical realm. In your life as well, rebuilding cannot take place, it cannot manifest, without the plan for rebuilding being written out.

History even records that the rebuilding of nations came from writing out the plans.

I came across a text the other day that affirmed how even the nation of Israel wrote out a plan and commitment of restoration during the rebuilding of Jerusalem in 430 BC, which we will look at as a pattern. However, even in my own nation’s history, the Declaration of Independence was not just a vision, but a written plan, a blueprint for the re-structuring and rebuilding of a nation. I found several interesting parallels in the rebuilding of Jerusalem that are helpful to each of us in the rebuilding of our lives, i.e. seeing the manifestation of our needs, dreams, and goals. The text is from Nehemiah chapter 9; Nehemiah is one of my favorite historical characters.

1. They took a significant amount of time in study and prayerful meditation. Notice that half of the day was spent in study of the Scriptures, prayer, and worship.

And they stood in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day, and for another fourth of it they confessed and worshiped the Lord…You found his heart faithful before You, and You made the covenant with him And You have fulfilled Your promise, for You are just and righteous. (Neh.9:3,8)

2. To visualize the plan of rebuilding, made it a point to focus on good times, not just failures.

They admitted their past failures and their present problems (I won’t list that part of the text here.) Though human tendency is to focus only on the negatives while seeing the need to rebuild, they focused on good things that took place, interventions of God in past circumstances, which were a reminder of positive experiences in their relationship with Almighty God. To gain a proper perspective for rebuilding your life, be sure to focus on what good took place in the past, even if it was few and far between. Give yourself credit for good choices as well as thank God for the times you recognized His help.

You saw our fathers’ affliction…You heard their cry…You performed signs and wonders…You divided the sea before them, so that they went through its midst on dry land; You led them by day and …by night to light the way they should go. You came down also … and spoke with them…You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst; and You told them to go in and possess…You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them…You sustained them …they lacked nothing…And they … took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out, vineyards, olive orchards, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and … delighted themselves in Your great goodness…In the time of their suffering when they cried to You, You heard them …(Neh.9:9-13,15,20,21,25,27)

3. Admit to God about the struggles you are having–in circumstance, emotionally, and spiritually, and ask for His help.

Now therefore, our God… let not all the trouble and hardship seem little to You–the hardship that has come upon us…And we are in great distress…(Neh.9:32,37)

4. Take the results of the prayer, the meditation, the confession to God of what you need, and write out a detailed plan of what God has helped you visualize in your mind and spirit.

The needs and goals may vary and need to be altered or adapted from time to time, so a computer file makes it easy to do this, but I also like to keep a printed version handy that I can look at regardless of where I am during the day. The nation of Israel ended their time of visualization of the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem, and essentially their lives, by writing out their plans and a commitment to them.

Because of all this, we make a firm and sure written covenant. (Neh.9:38)

Successful results will manifest from a clearly written plan of restoration.

At this point in time of history, the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt in an amazing 52 days, despite great opposition from enemies outside the city and within their own ranks. The wall of the city, at that time, was a major necessity for the safety of the people during the normal routines of life. Regardless of any opposition you may face, from without or within your close daily associations (people), a clearly written plan of restoration will enable you to have clear, unfailing focus until the manifestation of your life restoration takes place.

With the New Year comes new hopes, new visions for reaching goals and dreams with regard to health, family, career, finances, spiritual life, and self-improvement.  As mentioned a few weeks ago, even vacation can be a goal in the New Year for the self-employed business person.  As I have begun pondering my own goals for the New Year, a recurring theme has surfaced from a variety of sources, that of greater joy through simplicity.

Here are 7 ways to improve your life and joy in the New Year by implementing simplicity:

1.  When considering goals, purchases, acquisition, consider the level of ongoing maintenance.

Before you set your sights on any additions to your life in the New Year, consider the level of responsibility involved.  Pretty much everything in life takes maintenance and maintenance takes both money and time.  If you desire to add any possession to your household, do you actually want to deduct from other areas of your life the additional finances and time it will take to maintain it?  For example, if you wanted a swimming pool for the family or a boat for recreation, it takes both time and funds to maintain it.  Consider, would you actually be happier putting the maintenance time into family time or personal time?  Would you be happier having the money used to maintain the item to be available for smaller joys all year through?  The example is of a larger acquisition, but the same principle applies to smaller additions to your life. 

While caring for domestic rescue rabbits in our home for over 25 years, we did business with a well-known veterinarian in the field.  She has signs all over her office saying, “A rabbit is a 10 year commitment,” as the length of commitment is rarely considered by people when taking in a pet.  This is not to discourage the joys of pet ownership, but to encourage you to consider the long-term commitment involved.  We, ourselves, have gotten to the age where we have decided it is time to end our rescue rabbit involvement when this last rabbit is laid to rest, and opt for the joys of pet ownership from a type of pet with less maintenance and fewer health issues.  We have also considered that, due to our own age and the lifespan of this other pet, the new one will probably be the last pet we will be committing to.  Take care to consider the level of maintenance as you develop your goals for the New Year. 

2. Simplify your life with freedom from self-condemnation.

Scripture does challenge us to “Aim for perfection;” one needs to always strive for improvement spiritually, in your personality, and in interpersonal relationships. However, do not weigh yourself down with self-condemnation that you do not attain perfection.  The key in that quote is the word, “aim.”  Yes, improve your spirit, personality, and ability to communicate and express love; in these things, “aim” for perfection but do not live under the pressure and/or self-condemnation of not achieving perfection – only God is perfect!  Rest in the fact that you are on a journey to improve and enjoy the journey! 

3.  Make a commitment to yourself to simplify your life through less perfectionism.

This is not to encourage laziness or a lack of self-improvement, but rather simplifying your life this year by freeing yourself from unrealistic or unnecessary perfectionism.  It is time to let go of the pressure and condemnation you bring on yourself, and the time wasted, by trying to achieve an impossible level of perfection for the purpose of impressing others. Free yourself of such energy and time wasters as going beyond the typical level of energy and finances to entertain your friends because of an imbalanced feeling to “impress with things,” or similar unnecessary and stressful perfectionistic ideas.  Do not complicate your interactions with people to the point that you cannot enjoy being with those people!  The people who are coming over to visit are doing so out of feelings of love or respect for you that already exist. Truthfully, the people who love you do so for the way you already are with all your imperfections; those who do not love you as you are do not truly know how to love, so why would you bother trying to impress them? 

4. While reaching for goals, be content and appreciative for what you have. 

Don’t let the delay of goals and dreams rob you of joy now by allowing frustration and disappointment. If you cannot control your emotions over unfilled goals, you are letting your desires to dominate you. 

Frustration and disappointment will make all areas of your life more complicated.  Simplify your life by being content and appreciative now while waiting for your goals to manifest.

5. Evaluate if your desire is truly important.

Do you truly want that possession or experience?  Is it important enough to put the time, effort, planning, etc. into it if it takes years to see it through?  If not, let it go.

6. De-clutter. 

Studies show that clutter itself in an office and/or home creates stress.  It also is more difficult to clean and usually creates the stress of not being able to find things when you need them.  Simplify your life by clearing out both your office and living space, even your bedroom. Use it as an opportunity to bring added joy to yourself and others by giving the things you no longer use or need to someone who needs them.

7. Don’t be doubleminded. 

Do not waste time and energy laboring over decisions, especially those of no consequence, such as what you are wearing today, which restaurant to eat lunch at, or which DVD to rent.  Make yourself be decisive in a timely manner.  Also, do not lose your joy second-guessing yourself after you’ve made a decision.  Rarely in life are our choices so life-changing that we cannot correct a poor one, so in normal day-to-day decisions, keep it simple and just decide.