“The busier you are, the more intentional you must be.”
Michael Hyatt
Recently I’ve reflected on this past year of ministry in preparation for our board meeting. I wish I could say I regularly spend time reviewing my goals and how they’re being met. I know in my head that times of reflection are profitable; they keep you on God’s path. If we believed in our hearts the value of “considering our ways,” we’d do it more often. Not only has the prophet Haggai encouraged us to do this, but Moses also instructs us to be intentional in Psalm 90:12: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
We are to give careful thought to our ways: how we spend our time, talents, and resources. Our overarching goal is to give God pleasure. “We make it our aim to please him” (2 Corinthians 5:9a). We’re to intentionally pursue God’s desires for our lives. His will is the target that we’re shooting for. I want my life to bring a smile to God’s heart.
The Lord has been teaching me to pay attention to the times I feel most fully alive and free to be myself, for that’s what He’s created me for. But if I don’t attend to these, I may miss God’s direction for my life.
I’ve learned that when I lose my peace, I need to stop and ask God for discernment with what’s going on. A lack of peace signals to me that I’m not doing what God desires. This happened a few weeks ago when there were a lot of distractions which required many decisions. When I realized my peace was gone, I stopped what I was doing, sat still with the Lord, and listened to His voice to have my peace be restored. Sometimes we need to put a pause on our life and if need be, repent and turn to the Lord to get back on track. Matthew Henry writes, “Our considering our ways must issue in the amending of whatever we find amiss in them.”
Just as we’ve read in the book of Haggai, our actions and devotion to God and His purposes have a correlation to our blessings from God. Therefore, it behooves us to realize the importance of considering our ways.
“It is worthwhile to bestow all possible care, and pains, and cost, upon that by which God may be glorified.”
Matthew Henry
Relevant Reflections:
Describe a time when you lost your peace. How did you restore it?
Give careful thought to how your life pleases God.