Giving Up the Goal

by Donna Shepherd
Published April 27, 2005

Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (Galatians 3:3 NIV)

This morning when you started your day, did you have an agenda? Many people, at least the more organized ones, begin by consulting a ‘to do’ list. In our society, being goal oriented is viewed as a good attribute.

It seems as if I fight a continual battle to get and stay organized. I make out my list, marking off the more important tasks, dividing them into categories, and putting a checkmark beside each task as I complete it.

Many times, I barely get the list compiled, and I need to crumple it up and throw it out. Each day is an adventure, and some days I have to give up my goals and let God decide.

I love the way David described life in Psalm 139. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and “all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” Did you know that God ordained your life before you took your first breath? Ordain means to put in order by virtue of superior authority.

When life throws me lemons, I try to squeeze the adversity out of it, and let the sweet Holy Spirit calm me while I sip my ‘spiritual lemonade.’ In my distress, I do my best to remember that God is in control. It’s difficult to surrender. Our nature is to try to control, but when we surrender, we give up the goals, and let God decide.

I’ll continue to write my lists. God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). I desire to set goals that reflect godly priorities, and depend on God to direct me on this path through life – even when my day doesn’t pattern itself after my ‘to do’ list.

When I think of the book mentioned in Psalm 139:16, I wonder what my book of life looks like. How many chapters does it have? I hope it’s a nice, thick book!

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the very breath of life. I pray that I will live this day as You direct and guide. Help me to live according to the Spirit, submitting my will to Yours. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

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