Where has the time gone??

It just seems like the other day we were celebrating a new year or at least the arrival of spring. Where has the time gone? Before we turn around twice, it will be Thanksgiving, then Christmas. But what about all our plans for this year?

Possibly your bucket list for 2018 is still fairly empty. You desired to get more done, be better organized, grow in God’s Word, be more faithful, give more, share more, and other stuff. However, you have not gotten that much accomplished yet, for any number of one hundred reasons.

Here’s the good news! There is still time to do something.

Do the next thing

Although it is easy to get overwhelmed with what you still want to accomplish or what is not accomplished, the best way to get started is to just do the next thing.  Often this is where people get stuck. There’s so much to be done, it is hard to know where to start. The unfinished part of the task seems overwhelming. However, it is not. Just ask yourself, “If I were going to complete this project, what is next?”

Once you determine what is next, then do that thing. Once that gets completed, then look for the next thing.

Rejoice in the victories of what gets accomplished one step at a time.

Where we get tripped up

Here’s the problem: often we see the finished task as the next task. Or we fail to rejoice in the “just finished next thing” because we are overwhelmed by the big thing. Although we are getting tasks accomplished, we fail to see the progress and enjoy the little blessings along the pathway toward completion.

In order to walk a mile, it takes approximately 2,000 steps. Every step along that journey is a step in forward progress. In one sense, you can have 2,000 mini-victories on your way to the culminating victory of one mile or 2,000 steps.In order to walk a mile, it takes approximately 2,000 steps. Every step along that journey is a step in forward progress. Click To Tweet

You have two options. When you get to your big goal, you can add the final victory to a series of many mini-victories or you can finally reach your goal having been overburdened and overwhelmed the entire way.

Pay attention to the process more than the ultimate product

Along the journey, the process is more important than the product. You can not guarantee anything. You can try, but that does not always guarantee the product success for which you hoped. However, if you see all the opportunities in the process, pay attention to what you are doing in the midst of the greater project, and celebrate the small victories, what you will find is that God will be honored and you will be much happier.Along the journey, the process is more important than the product. Click To Tweet

Consider the tree in Psalm 1:

³ He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

What does the tree do? The tree just does what God designed. As the tree is faithful to God’s plan, the tree is fruitful. The product (the fruit) comes through the process (planted by the river). The tree does not determine the season. The tree does not even determine the fruit. The tree’s only responsibility is to maintain the process. God determines the fruit and the season.

For the Christian, that means to live life in the process purposefully. Do not let your big goals distract you from your smaller, process goals. As a Christ-follower, the goal is to honor God in the every day mundane (Psalm 1:1-2) and trust Him for the ultimate accomplishments in life. In a similar way, you can do the same for all the projects you want to accomplish as well. Pay special attention to the process of honoring God while you do the next thing while allowing God to ultimately bring the product He desires from your efforts.

Friend, today pay attention to the process and celebrate the victories along the path – not just the destination. Ask yourself, “What’s next?” Then do that and celebrate that step. The more of those small victories you have, the more happier you will be. Before long, you’ll be surprised how close you are to the product you desire.

© 2018 KEVINCARSON.COM