The Accomplished & Unaccomplished Goals of 2016

If you’re anything like me, the title of this post fills you with a kind of sick feeling. Your mind starts spinning, whizzing back to the beginning of the year when you made all these goals that you were sure you would accomplish this year. Because this year was going to be different. You were going to do everything better, your life was going to become healthier, the people around you were going to notice the massive change in you, you were going to get smarter, fitter, kinder, more useful. You were going to put your procrastinating behind you. You were going to work hard. You were going to accomplish.

Now here you are, freaking out because you aren’t ready for 2017, and can you even think of one goal you properly followed through with?

But then again, that’s only if you’re anything like me. If you aren’t, fair enough. And if you are, here’s a little bit of advice. From me to you and me.

One of the problems I have when I start thinking about all I haven’t done and all there is that needs my attention is that I tend to lose sight of the fact that there’s a bigger picture. I’m too busy obsessing over the intricate details to realize that although it’s far from perfect, there’s beauty to the huge mess that is my life, if I just take a step back. There’s purpose.

Sometimes I simply forget that my messy room or my messy hair or my inactive blog or the to-do list that grows bigger every day or the run I didn’t go on or the journal entries I didn’t write or my bed that I still haven’t made are not what defines an accomplisher’s life. I just forget sometimes.

The truth is, the accomplishments that matter the most are to do with the heart. When you woke up this morning, did you feel a little lighter than you did yesterday? Do you feel you’ve been growing, that you’ve been changing and maturing and learning? Do you see people in a different light, the more you get older? Are you more understanding, more quick to help than you are to judge?
Can you say with confidence that you are following in the footsteps of the One who has shown us the way?

Guys, all of the above is what really counts. And there’s no way anyone of us can become those things without help.

In the bible, it says ‘yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.’ Romans 8:37.
So, let’s scratch the ‘accomplisher’ part.
Because do you know what? We are CONQUERORS. No, wait, there’s more. Literally, more. We are MORE than conquerors.
And it’s only through Him and Him alone. It’s Him in us, it’s Him with us, it’s Him keeping His promise, that He will never leave or forsake us.

You are not doing this alone.

It also says in the bible, in that very same chapter: ‘what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?’ Romans 8:31.
Man, I love that chapter. WHAT shall we say to these things? These ‘unaccomplished’ goals, ‘unticked’ boxes on our lists?

We tell them this: that they are NOT more important than our God. That we will NOT allow them to consume us, turning us into worriers instead of warriors. That they surely do NOT define us, because our identity is found in Christ alone. That God willing and with His love and help that we all so desperately need, we’ll try again next year. We’ll work hard, yes, but we’ll be doing everything to His glory, not our own.

Don’t waste sleepless nights over the bad moments, days, weeks, or even months of this year. Don’t waste your tears over them. Redirect your energy to what you were really made for.

You were made for Christ.

‘For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.’ Colossians 1:16.

Ask Him how He would have You live, what He wants you to conquer for Him. Only then will you truly feel a sense of accomplishment. Take this from someone who constantly slips up by trying to find that elsewhere. Sometimes I feel I’m like a stupid sheep. (oh wait, that’s actually exactly what I am without Christ)
When will I learn that I only find that strength, that fuel and that purpose in my God?

But that’s the thing, right there. I’m learning. You are too. Life is full of learning, and we’re all learning constantly. It isn’t life that teaches us, though, as some like to say. It’s our sovereign God that has ordained and planned every little part of your life, of my life. His plan is greater, His plan is better. Remember that there’s no one else you ever need to turn to, that if you’re looking for someone to teach you how to do life, look no further than Jesus Christ.

And you guys. Best. Teacher. Ever.

He’s also a sculptor, by the way. Yeah, calling Him talented would be an understatement. I mean, where do you think all the talents we have as humans came from? I like to think He shared a little with us.
But back to the sculptor thing I was getting to. He is shaping you, moulding you into what you were always meant to be. He is growing you into His image. The catch is, there’s no catch. If you put Him first and put yourself under His care, you will flourish. You will find you’ve never been better. That doesn’t mean it will always be easy, but it means that it will be worth it.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18.

See? How amazing is that? IN HIS IMAGE? Do you know the massive truth of how stunning, how beautiful He really is? Nope, neither do I. Not entirely, not yet. But I’m looking forward to the day when the magnificence and awesome wonder of His full beauty is right in front of me. Until then, I kind of have an idea, and even that is mind BLOWING.

If you feel you’ve take nothing else away from this year, take this and be comforted: He hasn’t left your side and never will.

If you take nothing else away from this blog post, take this and be comforted: whatever happens in 2017, He’s got you.