"So I do not run aimlessly…" 1 Corinthians 9:26, ESV
Are you running aimlessly? Running in circles? Running towards no particular target? Are you just killing time? Living life? Going through the motions? Working your 9-5? Getting by? Are you racing hard and wondering where you’re going?
Summer is a good time to reevaluate and recalibrate. It’s a great time to talk to the Lord and ask questions about your life – the past, present and future. Where are you heading? What are you shooting for? What God-given goals are you reaching for?
I have been asking the Lord a lot of questions lately. After running hard in ministry for 30+ years, coming up on our 20th Anniversary as a church, celebrating 25 years of marriage and hitting the big 50 mark in age…I have been asking the Lord to clarify, crystalize and bring into clearer focus His target for me for the next 30 years of ministry, the next 20 years of pastoring, the next 25 years of marriage and the next 50 years of living life. I want to run with His purpose in clear view. I want to take a big drink and keep up the pace He desires for my life so that I stay in my lane, hit the tape and finish my course with joy. How about you?
We need to check up on ourselves. It’s easy to spend your life “running aimlessly” by focusing on important, but insignificant things. It’s easy to fall into the trap of going nowhere and ending up in the same spot year after year. It's easy to find yourself living a life that consists of nothing more than answering emails, keeping up with Facebook and Twitter, responding to haters, trying to satisfy complainers, pleasing people, checking off boxes, washing clothes, mowing the lawn, eating food, watching TV, and sleeping. Sounds pretty aimless doesn’t it?
C’mon – what is your purpose? Why are you on the planet at this time? What gifts, experiences, expertise, know-how and knowledge do you possess that others need? What are you doing to empower others? What kind of influence are you having? What type of impact is your life making? What matters to you? To God?
Today, why not take some time to think about the answers to these…
I believe that I exist to:
I am experienced, gifted, knowledgeable and an expert in these things:
I am empowering (helping, blessing, teaching, encouraging) others in these ways:
I am impacting eternity through these things:
I am influencing (motivating, inspiring, modeling, multiplying, reproducing) influencers in these ways:
The God-given targets I see in front of me look like this:
Run towards the target! Don’t run aimlessly – run with purpose. Run for the prize. Go after the high calling of God in Christ. Don’t waste your life – spend it! Aim and then run.
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14, KJV)
Say It: “Father, I do not want to waste my life. I want to spend it in meaningful ways. Help me to run my race with purpose! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
