Dwight Fletcher | Break negative inertia

WITH THE New Year comes resolutions. We want to do and be better, but somehow we find it hard to achieve our goals. The truth is that only God can truly transform our lives and help us make the changes we need in the deepest parts of ourselves. Not the superficial changes we make on our own, but lasting change. God gives us the ‘can-do’ strength and power to change. To get God’s help, however, we must prioritise Him. God demands that He be first in our lives. He created us, and He knows who we are. God understands our style and the individual things we need and want. It’s His good pleasure to give them to us, but He must be our priority.

“But put God’s kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all those things will also be given to you.” Matthew 6:33 (NIVR). This is about putting God above everything else in life. Above our desires, hopes, dreams, our future, and our relationships. In return, He promises that He will operate in our lives and bring His best in all areas. Often, we start at the wrong place. We begin with our needs, desires, and hopes, and then God becomes a means to an end. God is the beginning and the end. Start with God, and He will secure your future.

It’s the Lord who gives peace (John 14:27), provides hope (Jeremiah 29:11), and gives the ability to gain wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). God is the source of all we need and want. Some of us need more than a new plan for 2025, we also need a new heart. God must make some fundamental changes in us to make the new plan work. We don’t have the power to do this level change on our own, we need God’s strength to do it. The right plan without the right heart won’t work.

There’s no better vision than God’s vision for our lives. As you plan for 2025, ask God what’s next for you. God’s vision can start as an idea, a goal, or even an ambition. It’s God’s influence on our hearts and minds to get things done that’s important. Ask yourself: Where do I need to change? What can I do differently to make myself more effective, productive, passionate, loving, and generous?

As the thoughts come to you, write them down. Habakkuk 2:2 instructs, “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” When we write things down, we’re more likely to achieve them. Neuroscience has proved it. An article in Forbes Magazine indicated that “…people who very vividly describe or picture their goals are anywhere from 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely to successfully accomplish their goals than people who don’t.”

The prevailing minds in the area agree that the most significant difference between successful and unsuccessful people, is that the overwhelming majority of successful people advise that we write down our goals and clearly define them. Successful people are clear on their vision for their business and their lives.

Writing things down also helps us organise ourselves in getting there. It allows us to see the big picture and enables us to think step by step. In short, it helps to get things under control. When we start to organise ourselves, this reduces tension. The brain may forget, but the pen and paper always serve as a great reminder. As we plan for 2025, put God first, write down and organise the goals and ask God for help to achieve them.