Where are you at? Do you know?
Proverbs 4 encourages us to ‘Watch where we’re going!’ – know where you are going, set goals, select a target, look straight ahead and focus.
“Set your gaze on the path before you.
With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead,
ignore life’s distractions.
Watch where you’re going!
Stick to the path of truth,
and the road will be safe and smooth before you.
Don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked for even a moment
or take the detour that leads to darkness. ” ~ Proverbs 4:25-27
Do you know where you are going? Do you have goals set out for this year?
When Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed and burnt by fire, he wept and mourned for days. God had arrested his heart and he was overcome with compassion for his hometown.
‘They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.’ ~ Nehemiah 1:3-4
Soon after Nehemiah asked permission from the king to go and rebuild the wall. His heart was locked on a God-given mission, his mind focused on what had to be done. Nehemiah knew where he was going. He recognized the call.
Have you recognized Gods call on your life?
At the beginning of this year I asked myself the following questions:
- Where am I?
- Where do I want to be?
- What do I want to be?
- What do I want to do?
- What do I want to have?
- Why do I want it?
It’s important to ask ourselves these questions so that we can be intentional about the future. Intentionality breeds purpose. We need to know where we are at and where we are going. A vague goal carries no power, no potential. A goal centered around the call that God has on your life is one that will prove prosperous.
During the rebuild of the wall, Nehemiah faced opposition. However, he didn’t give up – instead, he fought harder and he prayed harder. God gave him tools and strategies to defeat the enemy. Nehemiah recast the vision, he encouraged those who had tired arms and he was certain that God would give them success.
Proverbs 4 warns us about life’s distractions. They will come. They will deter us from our goals if we allow them too. Sometimes, distractions are the enemy’s plan to shake us. Distractions deter us from our destiny in Christ. But, this scripture also encourages us to set our gaze with a fixed purpose, to look straight ahead and ignore whatever pushes us off the path God has us on. As we ‘stick to the path of truth, the road will be safe and smooth before us.’ We will be successful.
Once we recognize Gods call, we need to lock our hearts on the mission. We need to power on with purpose. We need to warm up on the starting block as if we’ve just been given a new pair of Adidas. We need to engage with the target. And as the whistle blows, we need to run the race with eyes steadily fixed on the face of Jesus. Our God-given mission is to know Jesus and to make Him known. We do this by being obedient to His nudgings.
What is God calling you to do? Is your heart locked on the mission? Are distractions weighing you down?
I encourage you, friends – seek out Gods plan for your life. His plans carry purpose and power. Fix your heart on His plan for your life and with intention and determination, dictate your eyes to follow His direction.