How to put your life in order for a brand new start.
Contributed By Larry Keefauver
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| PHOTO: Shutterstock |
It’s a brand new year, and a time for us to put our lives, household, work and relationships in order. To do that, we must first take inventory of what we have. Here are some steps to do this:
Ask yourself the right questions
• What do I have in my hand?
• What seed has God provided me with in terms of finances, assets, relationships, opportunities and dreams?
• What unfinished tasks do I have that must be completed this year? Be aware of the task that may be a “good idea” but not necessarily a “God-idea”—that which has consumed your time, energy and money, but not produced fruit for the kingdom of God.
• What relationships do I need to encourage, mentor, coach or invest in this year; and what relationships are draining and need to be limited with healthy boundaries?
• Who do I need to seek out to learn from, grow with and be mentored by?
• What business and work opportunities do I need to continue to pursue? Which ones should I walk away from?
• What have I been reading, watching or doing through courses, books, media, the Internet and the arts that need to increase? What “time-wasting” entertainment have I been involved in that needs to stop?
Take the right steps and make right decisions
The right steps begin with knowing God’s ways, timing, processes and plans, as the believer listens to His voice through worship, prayer, study of the Scripture and serving with other godly people.
Consider every decision you make with due diligence, planning the cost, time and people needed to take action. God’s ways generally take hard work, planning, proper timing and significant investment of yourself and your resources. So instead of rushing around, trying to accomplish too much, just diligently do God’s best for yourself and others.
Align yourself and your decisions with God’s Word, God’s people and God’s nature and character. Your right decisions will be loving, merciful, holy, just, pure, righteous, kind, patient, disciplined and healthy.
You may have left 2010 with some right decisions you made, but perhaps, hesitated to fulfill them. In 2011, decide to stop procrastinating; instead, put your confidence in the Lord and take action. Remember that faith without works is dead.
In order to move forward into 2011 with God’s vision and dreams for you, you must prepare to receive from Him by putting your life in order.
• Set your household relationships in order—forgiving others, restoring covenants, confessing your sins and repenting so as to change your ways and be aligned with God’s ways. Honor your father and mother; bless your seed and your seed’s seed; leave a legacy.
• Set your finances in order—free yourself from the bondages of debt, reduce your expenses and maximize your stewardship by investing and giving.
• Set your church relationships in order—rightly dividing the Word of truth, equipping the saints, coming under the proper spiritual authority of the pastors and elders, serving others and guarding your tongue by speaking only life and not death. Care for the poor and widows, the elderly and displaced; seek out the lost, saving, healing and delivering them into His Kingdom.
• Set your workplace in order—by being light in darkness as you handle your affairs with integrity, justice and righteousness. Be wise as serpents, yet gentle as doves. Lend with mercy and invest with due diligence and wisdom. Get wisdom, knowledge and understanding, acting in God’s timing and Kingdom principles for His glory.
Let this be your prayer for 2011: “Oh God, set my life in order that I may love You passionately and serve others sincerely. Amen.”
