Write Your Goals in Pencil
Give God the Eraser to Revise Them
When I moved to Michigan to marry my Boaz, one of my goals was to open up a personal training studio. It was tough to break into the gyms outside of the Detroit Metro area because I wasn’t “from around here” or a Buckeye in Wolverine territory. After several interviews, I was offered positions to do personal training in gyms and a private studio. Still, I would do so for FREE until I could drum up enough clients to get paid. The numbers didn’t add up when you consider I would have to drive 1-1/2 hours each way to the gyms or studio in Detroit from the middle of the Thumb of Michigan.
I talked with my Boaz about opening my own personal training studio. He wasn’t keen on an investment he thought might not pan out in farm country. It wouldn’t be much different than driving a long distance and hoping to get clients. Essentially I would have to work for free anyway AND pay for rent, utilities, etc. Frustrated about my dream vanishing, I decided to go online. Although there are costs to doing business, it is less expensive, and I reach people who want to learn about healthy living from a Christian perspective. The Lord taught me a valuable lesson: write my plans in pencil because He often edits them to give me something better.
Observations with a Different Lens
Most people who come to Healthy Lifestyles groups and personal coaching have a particular plan or goal in mind. Many want to lose weight, while others want to become healthier and fit. I’ve observed over the past few years that some do accomplish their goals while others don’t. Most often, their plans were very focused on the physical. They didn’t bargain for something much deeper at work behind the goal they planned. The common denominator for these individuals is that God had something bigger and better for them than what they intended for themselves.
Digging Deep
Read: Luke 12:16-21
Additional Verses
Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.
and
Proverbs 19:21 There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.
Our primary passage is based on a jealous brother who wanted Jesus to make his brother share his inheritance with him. He was self-centered in a culture that based more value on the firstborn son who gets the whole inheritance. Unfortunately, the siblings have to work hard to build a life for themselves, or a daughter hoped to marry a wealthy man. Jesus saw the greedy self-focus of both men. The older one probably thought, “Jackpot! I can do a lot with all that money.” While the other brother hoped to have a more comfortable life if he could just get a portion of his older brother’s inheritance. What they hadn’t counted on was Jesus’ response, “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (verse 21) Ouch!
Putting It into Perspective
I can hear it in their minds, “Gee, thanks, Jesus! Not what I wanted to hear from you today.” I thought something similar about my goals. Why couldn’t I open a personal training studio with a Christian focus? After all, the first plan didn’t pan out. Why not? After all, the people where I live aren’t open to outsiders—people who come to the community from outside might mess up their status quo. Jesus knows the culture isn’t warm and welcoming to those from outside of the community. Instead, He opened up a whole new community within and beyond my own backyard. Just because I wanted something doesn’t mean it was what I needed. There are people who need the ministry I have to offer, so He took me to them in their homes to meet their needs.
We can’t become self-focused as Christ-followers. God has so much more for us than our single-minded plans. He wants us to focus on Him so we can do more for others. Verse 21 reveals our need to become rich in God. The two verses in Proverbs narrow the focus by telling us that although we may have our plans—lots of them—believers must be open to God’s plans for us because HIs plans prevail. We must commit our plans to God, and He will bless us with success.
Okay, Hand It Over
When you consider weight loss or better health, do you write your plans in pencil and give God the eraser? That can be a scary proposition. When you give your goals over to God, you will be surprised about what God does, not only in with your own goals, but you will experience blessings like a deeper walk with Him, better family relations, and wellness that settles deep into your spirit, “It is well with my soul.” When you let God revise, or overhaul your plans, He does far more for you than your intended.
Invitation
Allow God to revise your plans. He cares about what concerns us, but He has the whole view of what we need. Prayerfully consider your plans. Write them down and lay them on the table before you. Now, pray with me, “Heavenly Father, I really want to do what I want to do. You know me better than I know myself, so I surrender my plans to You. I trust that you want what’s best for me and I will follow you carefully open to Your changes to these plans. Thank you for loving me with a love so deep. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”
I want to invite you to our introductory class, “Let the Adventure Begin!” on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, at 7 pm. See for yourself what our new focus group is like. You can register on our Be Totally Fit for Life! website page. When I receive your registration, I will send you a link for the Google Rooms event. I’ve scheduled the class for an hour with our drawing at the end. If we get cut off for time, no worries! I will announce winners on our Facebook and our website pages. Be sure to give me your email address, so I can contact you if you’ve won. Stay long enough to get the special offer to join Healthy Lifestyles: Let the Adventure Begin! for 12 weeks to a new you.
I look forward to seeing how God works in your total health journey!
Questions for thought or discussion:
- On a scale of 1-5 (1-I’m not interested, 2-my friend made me come, 3-I’m thinking about it, 4-I want to do this, and 5- I am doing this!) where do you find yourself when it comes to making healthy lifestyle changes?
- Do you trust that God always has the best in mind for you? Will you commit to this adventure with God to become totally healthy— physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual?
- Will you come to our intro class?
- What is your main goal?
May God richly bless you!