Whether you are entering a new year, job, relationship, project or other endeavor, God is bigger than your circumstance and your ability. In this podcast, we’ll see how God worked in the lives of three huge figure of faith: Moses, Joshua, and David. These people of faith faced overwhelming odds and challenges, and yet God was their for them and will be present in your challenges as well. Here is a glimpse at what I cover in today’s podcast.
Through Psalm 121 and the eyes of David we are reminded that God is bigger than circumstance as he asked the question, “I look unto the hills, from where will my help come?” and David realizes, the maker of this hills it the one watching over him. Also, that this guardian neither slumbers or sleeps, so God is readily present day and night. This same God watches over you.
In Joshua chapter 1, God reminds Joshua to be “strong and courage” as he assume leadership after Moses. Moses was an iconic figure. Imagine how terrifying it would be to have to fill the shoes of the man God used to lead his people out of captivity, through the Red Sea and wilderness. And yet, this is what was demanded Joshua. Did he have to be like Moses? No. God did not tell him, “Be strong and courageous for you are an amazing leader.” Or, “Be strong and courageous for you are my finest warrior.”
Instead, God declare to Joshua that he needed to be strong and courageous for God would be with him. God also pointed Joshua to the law as his guided. In short, God was reminding Joshua that he already had what he needed to be successful. Joshua’s success had nothing to do the size of his goals or abilities, but rather instead with the size and presence of his God.
This same God who protected David from Goliath and later from Saul, is the same God who watches over you in every new circumstance. This same God, who stood by Joshua thoughout the claiming of the promise land is with you. You can lean on his law and the power of God’s Spirit. Your success is not limited to your abilities, but rather instead in your faithfulness and God’s intervention.
Listen now to the podcast and be reminded of these great biblical truths.
PLANNING FOR THE NEW YEAR
In today’s podcast, I mention my planning process for the new year. In short the process is…
1) Review the past year. Examine the wins, losses, regrets, and lessons learned.
2) Reexamin priorities. For this I use a tool by the author and time management expert, Allyson Lewis. She is a good friend of mine and as Chief Inspiration Officer of her company The 7 Minute Life I frequently taught people how to quickly identify their priorities using her “Prioritization Worksheet.” If you would like me to walk you through that process using her worksheet then check out this webinar replay led by me, “Living into Your Priorities.”
3) Write a new purpose statement. I typically do this once a quarter. The absolute best way to discover your purpose if you haven’t done so already is to go through my free 5 Day Purpose Challenge. There are four simple exercises in this training to help you identify in a just a few minutes a day your purpose.
4) Write SMART Goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound. Google SMART goals if you want to know more about this process or enroll in my Fire Up Your Purpose course where I cover in detail with multiple examples how to weave these elements into clear actionable goals. NOTE: If you have gone through my free purpose course and this registration page shows as closed, please contact me directly about enrollment at john@thepracticaldisciple.com
5) Put in place systems and routines to accomplish my goals.
6) Do weekly and quarterly reviews of my progress.
This is the rough overarching system I follow. Please contact me if you want to know more. If there is enough interest I will gladly put together a short course going into this in greater detail.
Blessings on Your New Year and other endeavors,
John Arnold
The Practical Disciple