Happy New Year!
Let's move on to the next step in Planning for the New Year …
STEP 5 – Do God's Will
Paul’s instructions to the believers at Ephesus were action-orientated (Eph.5-6). He gave them things he wanted them to do. They were to take action, which meant to start doing things they weren’t already doing or to stop doing things that should not be done. He expected them to take full responsibility for the daily choices they made.
A mission or a goal becomes effective only when it is translated into action. We need a balanced perspective between God's sovereignty and human responsibility. God works, but we must work too (Phil. 2:12-13). God will not do it all for us. Things don't just happen as we sit around. On the other hand, we cannot accomplish God's will just through our own effort alone.
Change comes through action, through doing, not just through talking and thinking. Knowledge doesn't change the world, action does. The Christian life is to be a life of action. Jesus was a doer of God's will (John 4:34. Acts 1:1-2; 10:38). The disciples were people of action (the “Acts” of the apostles). We too are called to be doers of God’s will (Mt. 6:10. Jas.1:22-25). In fact, our love for God is evidenced by our obedience to his commands.
It is good to have a mission and a goal, but without discipline they will never be achieved. An athlete has to discipline himself so that he is able to perform his best in the competition. A soldier has to discipline himself so that he may be prepared for the battle and be strong enough to overcome. A farmer has to discipline himself to prepare and maintain the land so that he may reap the harvest. Paul disciplined himself so that he could fulfil the task that God had given him (1 Cor. 9:24-27. 1 Tim. 4:7-10). Each of these examples involves a specific goal that is worked towards by a clearly defined strategy. The goal will only be reached through discipline, training, exercise, hard work and time.
You've reflected on your Mission and Roles. You've set some specific Goals and you've organised your time in order to achieve them. Now, as the prophet Nike says, "Just do it!"