Aim at Nothing…
You’re sure to hit it every time. Why do they call it target practice? Why do police, military, and Olympic biathletes spend so much time honing their shooting skills? So they can hit their target every time. Another word that belongs in this discussion is goals. It’s been said that if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will lead you there.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we’re to have goals too. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31, emphasis added). The goal? God’s glory. In his writings to the Roman church, Paul said, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is…” (Rom. 12:2). The goal? Prove the will of God. And one more. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). The goal? Appropriation of God’s righteousness into our life.
Do you see the common thread
in these verses? They’re orders from our commanding officer. For those of us who have served in the military, we know that if you don’t follow orders, there are consequences (usually bad). That’s true in the spiritual realm too. If you’re saved and living in (habitual) sin, God won’t necessarily punish you physically, at least not immediately, though there are examples in Scripture of it happening. But you will lose your joy, your closeness with your Father, fellowship with other pilgrims, and eternal rewards (not salvation).
Why is it so hard for some of us to set and keep goals? I can think of some reasons in my own life. Sometimes I focus on the “now” and not the endgame. Discipline is hard, sometimes boring. I’m lazy. I easily get distracted by shiny objects or “fun” things. Whatever the reason or excuse—I’m sure you have your own list—the bottom line is if I’m aiming at nothing, the result of not setting goals is the same as never hitting my target. Is that what God asks of us? Is that doing our very best as a loving response for all He’s done and continues to do, for us?
We are to walk by faith.
The Bible says, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (“seek” is an action verb) (Heb.11:6). Does goal setting please God? It depends. Does attainment of the goal fit into the “all” referenced above? God is not against us having things, losing weight, what we watch on TV, who we hang out with…as long as these things don’t become idols and pull us away from our “doing all” and “seeking first”. God’s glory has to be our ultimate goal in life. Everything else will burn up.
You may think you’ve squandered your life. You may have guilt from bad decisions. It’s not too late to start down a new path; one filled with blessings, joy, a future beyond comprehension. But you have to start. Take a first step. Call someone who is hurting. Look around with eyes tuned to needs—and meet one of them. A habit can be formed by doing something consistently for 30 days. Think about just the three goals above (2nd para.) and start by focusing on even one of them. Before you know it, you’ll be less self-centered; you will experience joy from thinking about another person and, without hope of gain, you invested yourself in someone who had a need. You may think it a small thing. But if your motive is right, God knows it and records the act in His book of rewards.
Keep it up.
Forget the shiny objects to the side of the road. Look straight ahead. Focus only on the big picture, the endgame, eternity. Will what you’re offering to God survive the fire? Or will it be burned up? “Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:12-15).
What are you aiming for today? We can always aim higher. So what if we miss? Review your life goals. Are they ones that will result in rewards or ashes? Are you still breathing? It’s not too late. God loves to reward those who seek Him. Do it today. I’ll hold.