And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30 NIV)
God reminds us that He has a plan for our lives in Jeremiah 29:11. This is an important word of encouragement. But often we worry what His plan is and how we can achieve it. While goals are very important because they help to set a positive tone for our lives, they should never take the place of true love and devotion to the Savior.
Establish your goals with God in mind. In Romans 8:28-30, the Lord underscores the fact that He truly has His eye on our lives. Every detail is woven together so that the outcome will be beautiful.
Sorrows, heartaches, and failures play just as important part in our lives as do the times when we achieve great accomplishments. Set your goals and live by faith in God. Trust Him to guide you as you dream of good things for the future. Be sure each goal you set is something He would approve. Prayer is a vital part of goal-setting.
When you pray, ask the Lord to make you sensitive to His desires for your future. If you find yourself doing something that is not in keeping with His plan for your life, abandon it immediately.
Be encouraged! God will never leave you without direction and hope. Seek Him and He will guide you. Remember, some goals take a long time to achieve. But the Captain of your soul is a God of love, who has wonderful blessings in store for you!
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Charles Frazier Stanley was born September 25, 1932, in the small town of Dry Fork, Virginia. The only child of Charley and Rebecca Stanley, Charles came into the world during a time when the entire nation felt the grip of the Great Depression. To make matters worse, just nine months later, his father Charley died at the young age of 29.
However, Charles refused to let the Great Depression or the difficulties of his life define him. Instead, like his father and grandfather before him, he clung to God’s Word and took up the mantle to preach the gospel to whoever would listen.
Dr. Stanley’s motivation is best represented by the truth found in Acts 20:24, “Life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God's mighty kindness and love.” This is because, as he says, “It is the Word of God and the work of God that changes people’s lives.”
Dr. Stanley’s teachings can be heard weekly at First Baptist Church Atlanta, daily on “In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley” radio and television broadcasts on more than 2,800 stations around the world, on the Internet at intouch.org, through the In Touch Messenger, and in the monthly, award-winning In Touch magazine.