GraceWay Baptist Church Serving Kiowa-Serving Christ

I thought that instead of setting a few goals for the entire year like: exercise, be more of a spiritual leader to my family, watch less TV and read more books, etc., etc., that I would be more intentional, set more focused goals.... Now I haven’t worked out all the particulars, but the first thing I think I’ll work on is being more of a man of my word.

Seeking God in All Things

They say if you keep doing what you are doing you are going to keep getting what you are getting. I have given a lot of thought to 2007 and what I would like to see that is different in 2008. What I would like to do is to focus more on being that man of God that God has called me to be.

I thought that instead of setting a few goals for the entire year like: exercise, be more of a spiritual leader to my family, watch less TV and read more books, etc., etc., that I would be more intentional, set more focused goals. It occurred to me that if I could focus on one specific area of my life each month that I will have made 12 significant changes by the end of the year.

Although my intensions were good, I didn’t make such a great start. My first mistake was sharing this plan with my wife. She suggested that I should make it a weekly mission. I was incredulous; there couldn’t possibly be 52 things to fix in my life. Then she asked if I wanted the list.

Now I haven’t worked out all the particulars, but the first thing I think I’ll work on is being more of a man of my word. Not that I am a person that promises the world and delivers nothing. But I do tend to over commit and not follow through. Nothing big, but those little failures add up. Those little failures are important to God because if He can’t trust me to deliver on small commitments, how can He count on me to deliver on the big ones?

I have shared this concern with others and find that I am not alone in this. This is a big problem for many men. It is not that we are dishonorable; we are all too busy. Most of us enjoy be involved in ministry, actively serving God, but too many of us are guilty of over commitment. Satan just gets us busy doing too much and soon we are no longer effective serving our families or anyone else. It is not how much we serve God, but the quality of the service.

One area of my life that worked out better than others, this year, is my prayer life. Although it has been a chaotic year and, not everything I attempted was successful, I was more consistent at spending quality time with God each morning. I spent more time praising Him for what he has accomplished in my life then complaining. I spent more time in prayer on behalf of others then myself. I discovered that I accomplished more ministry on my knees then I did through personal action.

Often our reaction to a problem or situation is action. But what I think God really wants is for us to be in submission to Him. We are not the solution. God is the answer and we need to seek him first in all things.