Set your gaze on the path before you.
With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead,
ignore life’s distractions.
Watch where you’re going!
Stick to the path of truth,
and the road will be safe and smooth before you.
Don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked for even a moment
or take the detour that leads to darkness.  Proverbs 4:25-27 TPT

I think too often we get distracted by what others are doing. We look to our left and to our right. We look at what other people are doing, how they are running their race. We look at what someone else is accomplishing. We look at how much further ahead they are than us. Or we look at any number of other things. We try to copy someone else’s life, instead of staying focused on our path, on our race, what our talents and gifts are and how we can best us them to serve God and love others.

Since January I have been personally struggling with the idea of productivity, of setting goals, of having a 10-year plan. I think all these things are good. I think it is important for us to be aware of what we are or are not doing. I think we need to be focused because if we are not, we may stray from our path onto someone else’s or “fall off a cliff.”

One of my favorite quotes, that has had a huge impact on my life, is from Louder Than Words by Andy Stanley.

“Who will you be in five years? Ten years? I’m not referring to your role or job title. For just a moment, lay aside the dreams that involve your career or net worth. I’m talking about what you hope to find on the inside. What kind of person do you hope to become?

Today, you took a step. You either moved closer to or further away from what you hoped to be. Most people moved further away. A handful overcame the negative inertia of this fallen world and moved forward. But nobody — nobody — stood still.”

So. For me. With my gifts and strengths and personality and Enneagram type and where I am and whatever else I want to consider; I decide what moving forward well looks like. And it might not look anything like someone else’s moving forward. I may not desire to accomplish some big things, or create something, or whatever, and that is okay.

As I have been thinking about and praying over my thoughts concerning what I want my life to look like moving forward, what my goals are, what productivity looks like for me, I have found great comfort in these verses,

Be cheerful with joyous celebration in every season of life. Let joy overflow, for you are united with the Anointed One! Let gentleness be seen in every relationship, for our Lord is ever near. Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always. Follow the example of all that we have imparted to you and the God of peace will be with you in all things. Philippians 4:4-9 TPT

I believe that if we are rooting ourselves, grounding ourselves, centering our self in Jesus Christ, in His love for us, in seeking and discovering His Truth for our life, HE WILL MAKE THE ANSWERS KNOWN TO YOU. Amen.

And that will look different for each of us!

We can glean ideas from others and try things to figure out what works best for us but we each bring something different to the table and that is great! We need all our differences, our perspectives and insights and ways of seeing the world to make it all work. As we spend time in God’s presence He strengthens, enables, equips, and empowers us to be the best version of ourselves.

I think it is important that we remain aware of what we are doing and how we are doing and what we could improve on. We all have blind spots. And God will reveal to us areas of our lives that we need to work on. One of my favorite scripture is Acts 10:28, “…but God has shown me.” We don’t know until He reveals it to us. I don’t believe He reveal things to us to make us feel bad, or so we will beat ourselves up. No, He makes us aware so we can improve, know His love more deeply, be our best self. And I believe His timing is good. He shows us when we are ready. When it is the best time for us to allow Him to work on us and transform us into an even better version of ourselves.

I share because I think it is easy to get caught up in a program or a plan or the way someone else is living life and possible miss how we could best live our life. Securely abiding in who God says we are, using our gifts, talents, strengths and weaknesses, to seek and serve Him well.

Keep seeking and discovering! Show up as your authentic self! The world needs you! Remember you’ve got this! And God’s got YOU!