Flying with Time
Clear Vision & Planning in 2007 - By Minister Moses

“The length of our days is seventy years, or eighty, if we have strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away…teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90: 10 & 12 NIV

Psalm 90:10 reflects on a reality common to us all; the speed of time and brevity of human life. It seems like only a few weeks ago when we celebrated the new millennium, but already January 2007 has come and gone!

Pressured by the external demands of daily activity, we often think we lack the quantity of time to pursue the things we truly desire in life. We seem to spend all our days, doing everything other than what we really want to do, or believe God has called us to.

However, since the number of hours we all share in a day is fixed, there is nothing we can do to increase our time. What we can do is seek the ability to do what the Psalmist refers to as ‘numbering our days aright’ which basically means the ability to prioritise and plan our lives appropriately. In other words, if time for you just seems to fly, then learn to fly with it!

Vision
Our God is a visionary and a planner, and in order for us to get the best out of life, we need to be likewise. I think that one of the biggest reasons for Christians not enjoying an enriched life is due to a lack of foresight and planning.

In living a more purposeful life therefore, the first thing to do is to clarify the vision you have for your life. In Mark 11:23 (KJV), the prescription for answered prayer begins first with clarity (what things soever ye desire), then prayer (when ye pray), and then belief (believe that ye receive them…). It’s easy to get these mixed around, for example praying that God will change our situation, without first defining what it is about our situation we want changed.

Begin therefore by clarifying what brings you absolute joy and gladness in this life. Take the time to prayerfully think about and crystallize your desires. Visualise what an ideal spiritual life for you would look like, a perfect career, a good financial standing and a healthy family life – and then write them down on a clean sheet of paper. A clearly written vision is the hallmark of clarity. The more detailed the better. The more creative you can be, the more fun and excitement you will have in the pursuit. Be imaginative, be ridiculous! Remember: write down what you ‘DESIRE’, not what you ‘think you can achieve’; this is essential.

Goals
Once you are clear about your life’s vision, the next thing to do is sit down. Yes, sit down! Jesus advised in Luke 14: 28 to sit and consider the cost of any given pursuit. This means assess where you are now, and where you would like to be, and then write down a list of goals that will bridge the two together.

Goal setting is an exercise that is both exciting and challenging. Setting goals causes you to do the so called ‘impossible’. It channels your energy and use of time in a way congruent with your vision and outlook of life. When you know what you want, and have a series of written goals to get there, you are less likely to waste time and have life pass you by.

Begin with at least 3 goals in each major area of your life for 2007. The idea is that each achieved goal brings you one step closer to your ideal life as stated in your vision. Below is a list of life’s major areas you can consider, and an example of some goals in each.

Spiritual:
Read the whole New Testament
Find a local church I can attend regularly

Family:
Don’t forget our wedding Anniversary this year!
Spend more time with the Children

Education:
Be an A grade student by reading 30 min’s a day on my weakest subjects

Career:
Find a job I actually enjoy doing…
Or begin an evening course that will get me there!

Finance:
Pay off all my debts beginning with money I owe friends

Physical Health:
Jog or swim twice a week and eliminate sugar from tea & coffee

Once you have written down your goals, you are now in a position to commit them to the Lord and make a decisive action toward achieving them.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Make a decision today to live throughout 2007 with purpose. Don’t get bogged down in the rat race, only to be frustrated with how time seems to elude you. Maximize every moment, live life to the full, and learn to number your days aright.