Goals, Callings and Priorities

 It is so important to have goals for your life. Without clear goals in life, we go round in circles without achieving anything significant.

If you have ten priorities, you have no priorities.

But it can also be dangerous to have too few priorities. There are very successful doctors, preachers and business people who have neglected their spouses or children.

I love classical music. When I think of the greatest composers, I always see amazing achievements but abject failures in their family lives.

But one composer shone with heavenly glory.

Johann Sebastian Bach was so devoted to music that he damaged his eyesight studying sheet music by candlelight. He was extremely focused, but his first priority was the love of God.

He was also a faithful husband and a very good father.

He had many children and some of them also became excellent composers.

There are fanatics who only have one goal in life, but there are also duty-bound people who only want to be good Christians without a clear idea of a particular goal or personal calling from God.

What would it be like if Paul only wanted to be a good Christian and nothing more?
What if Johann Sebastian Bach only wanted to be a good father and church organist and nothing more?

Do you only have one goal in life? Perhaps you should ask yourself whether you are perhaps too self-centred or whether you are neglecting some important duties.

Do you have a clear idea of your identity and calling or do you only have a vague idea that you should be a good Christian?

Ask God to show you what he has created you for.

Every person is unique. God has created you for important tasks. Not only famous people are important in God's eyes. God has a plan for your life.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;

if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;

if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Rom 12:6–8 NIV

You may think you are not a prophet or teacher, but you can study the Bible and teach your children.

You pray for someone and an encouraging word comes to you for that person. Maybe you should share that thought with the person.

Maybe you are a practical person. You are a good gardener. Your neighbour is sick and his garden is unkempt. If you work in his garden, you might be able to win your neighbour for Jesus.

If you like to play the piano or guitar, maybe you can visit a retirement home and encourage the elderly with music.

We all have talents and abilities that we can use for Jesus.

What is your thing? Who needs your help? When you pray about it, what comes to mind?

What are your Priorities

 What is important in your life?

There are people who do not pause to consider their priorities.

A well-known management expert taught that a company must have clear priorities. If you have ten priorities, you have no priorities.

Many organisations have many rules, but no clear priorities.

But what's it to you? You are an employee and you simply have to adapt.

But you also have your own life. What are your goals in life? What are your priorities?

All the main characters in the Bible had clear goals.

• Noah was to build a ship to save his family and all kinds of animals from the Flood.

• Moses was to save the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, and he led them to the Promised Land.

• Deborah was to lead the Hebrews in a war.

• After the death of her husband, Ruth determined to provide for her mother-in-law.

• God gave Nehemiah the task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

• Paul was given the task of missionary work among the Gentiles in the Roman Empire and to plant new churches everywhere.

  What is important in your life? Maybe you have clear goals and priorities, but maybe not.
  
  Many people have a vague idea that they should be good Christians. But otherwise they don't have clear priorities.
  
  What is a ‘good Christian’? If your ideas of the Christian life only come from Bible teachings from your church or your family, you will always be torn by other people's expectations.
  
  Again and again we read in the Bible how an apparently ordinary person had an encounter with God and received a calling for their life.
  
  Do you perhaps feel frustrated because you have no clear direction in your life? God loves all his children with all his heart. Jesus is the great King of kings. If you are a son or daughter of a great king, should you remain an insignificant nobody? God forbid!
  
  God has important tasks for you. If you are always busy fulfilling all the wishes of your family or your church or your boss, you will not be able to hear God's guidance.
  
  If you do not yet know Jesus as your Saviour and guide, you will either be enslaved by your own drives and desires, or you will be enslaved by other people.
  
  There are selfish, self-centred people who deal with all kinds of addictions, porn, alcoholism, drug addiction etc.
  
  On the other hand, there are virtuous people of duty who are enslaved by the desires of other people.
  
  Jesus wants to set you free, but not so that you can always satisfy your own desires.
  
  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. 1 Co 9:24 NIV
  
  But the Christian life is not a competition. Paul does not mean that only a hero of faith should win God's prize.
  
  Every Christian has a unique calling from God, a very special mission in life. If your life is based only on religious duty, you will never find out what God's purpose is for your life.