Begin with the end in Mind
Beyond the turbulence
This past week I had one of those bad flights through the storm again! I hadn’t had such a bad and bumpy flight in a long time. It was so bad that the all the passengers clapped hands and made a thunderous noise after a safe touch down. Minutes before we started the descent to the airport the flight captain spoke to us that we were beginning the descent, that we should expect some more turbulence and he concluded by wishing us a good weekend – since it was on a Friday evening. He didn’t wish us a safe landing but a safe weekend - and that made my day! He was seeing far beyond the present turbulences and assuring us that we should not focus on the present fears but on the joys of a restful weekend with our families. We all have a tendency to be so overwhelmed by present circumstances and feel that we are perishing. We let the fears of our present circumstances obstruct us from seeing beyond our current struggles. There is a life beyond the turbulence. Paul wrote, ‘For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us’ (Romans 8 v 18). Beyond the current turbulences there is a place for safe-landing!
Begin with the end in mind
I have seen and spoken to many people who are not sure about what they want in life. They just exist and they have no game plan for achieving what they want to achieve because they don’t know what they want. Old wisdom says if you don’t know where you are going any road will lead you there. You must have a mental picture of where you want to get to. Begin with the end in mind. In Genesis 1 God created man in the spirit. He created a male and a female; (‘so God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them’ (Genesis 1 v 27)). He built in Himself a mental picture of what he wanted a person to be like and He even blessed them and gave them a mandate. He created the complete end-product in Himself before He built it physically. In Genesis 2 He went ahead and made the physical creation of what He had completed in the spirit; (and the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2 v 7)). Be clear about your vision! Knowing where you want to end up will help your choices today. Do you really have to take up that offer; do you really have to embark on that course; do you really have to make that step; do you really have to say yes? You can only confidently answer if you are clear of what you want your end to be. Begin with the end in mind and then map up a game-plan to get you to the desired end.
The Word is the key
As a young and inexperienced university student I was selected to lead a very large, influential and dynamic Christian students group. A close friend of mine who was more mature and experienced than me, but who was also to be my deputy, spoke to me the words that changed my whole paradigm forever. He said to me, ‘Be confident! People are willing to follow a leader who is confident about where he is going’. To achieve your end you need to proceed towards your mark in confidence. Confidence comes with knowledge and understanding; knowledge and understanding of what God says about you and about your situation – that is faith - and ‘faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God’ (Romans 10 v 17). ‘The entrance of His words gives light; it gives understanding unto the simple’ (Psalm 119 v 130).You will not make it without the word of God in you. Soak yourself in the word of God so much that when any life situation squeezes you only the Word will ooze out of you! ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom (Colossians 3 v 16). True and sustainable success is guaranteed only through meditating and acting on the word of God, ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success’ (Joshua 1 v 8). May your game-plan to achieve your desired end be supported and sustained by the word of God; because the word of God is the key to unlock possibilities in your life.
Know where you want to be; build the mental picture of your destiny; begin with the end in mind; make a game plan for your success; shape the game you play; don’t just play the game you find; and fill your life with the WORD OF GOD, for it is the key to your fruitfulness – and see you at the podium celebrating our victories!
Peter Mbada
Thanks for partnering with me in inspiring the world by purchasing a copy of ‘Destined to Succeed; Unstoppable and Unlimitable’; and by sharing this message!
No comments:
Post a Comment