Going to a specific store in an unfamiliar mall can be quite an adventure. There are a number of ways to approach this adventure. Some people are content to simply enter the mall and start walking, knowing that sooner or later they will stumble across the store they are looking for. But there are others who prefer a different approach and head for the nearest Mall Directory.
I was reminded of this recently while visiting a very familiar mall, but searching for a new store, which had recently opened. I was not sure of the exact location, so once inside the mall, I headed to the nearest Mall Directory. Yes, I’m one of those. Once I found the directory, I scanned the list of stores until I found the new store. After locating it on the map, the next thing I looked for was the little dot that said, “You are here.”
I could have wandered through the mall, and sooner or later I would have arrived at my destination. However, I knew where I wanted to go, but to minimize my time and effort, I had to recognize where I was.
As we enter a new year there is much talk of resolutions, vision boards, and writing your goals that you hope to accomplish in the coming months. There is something exciting about getting a fresh start and beginning a new slate, but all too often, before starting out, we fail to recognize and acknowledge where we are.
How many people have you known in life who were content to just start walking, hoping that sooner or later they would stumble upon something that closely resembled what they were looking for? Settling for a spouse, a house, a career, something that is comfortable enough and provides just enough flexibility to get through life, all the while longing for something more.
Settling to be here, while longing to be there.
They know where they want to go, but they never consider where they are.
As in the case of the mall, we may know our destination, but if we don’t consider where we are now, we can waste precious time and energy on a route that may take longer than we want and cost more than we care to pay.
As you begin this year, consider the following:
- Identify where you want to go. Write your vision, make it plain.
- Recognize where you are. You are here. It’s okay, wherever you are. There is a way out.
- Strategize how you plan to reach your destination. Don’t wander aimlessly. Create a plan.
Even your GPS requires not only a destination point, it also specifically wants to know an origination, or starting point. It insists on you acknowledging where you are before giving you instructions to reach your objective.
The steps of a good and righteous man are directed and established by the Lord, and He delights in his way and blesses his path. Psalm 37:23 Amplified
God loves you and delights in your life. Partner with God and align yourself with His Word, and you’ll find that just because you are “here” doesn’t necessarily mean that “here” is your destination.
Still Believing!
Excellent article! Thank you for your insights!
Thank you, Mandy!
Oh my my my …. Isn’t it amazing that right when we think we are lost…. We are right where we need to be. Without that right here Errol sometimes we don’t even realize we’re right where we need to be. Sometimes God has to literally show us there were right where and what we are looking for is right in front of us.
I could really relate this one because I had felt like I was so off track a few years ago even before my husband passed because I thought I had missed my mark. I didn’t know where I was at especially within Christ. I was a Christian going to church. But I wasn’t doing what he wanted me to do. Had aloud life to get in the way, and felt like I was stumbling around in that mall not knowing where to go feeling like I had totally missed it and messed up years ago!
But you want to know something funny, I’m right where I needed to be when I looked up and the arrow was pointing right at me that I’m right here right now, right where he wants me to be.
An AWESOME Blog. Thanks
Thank you for your kind words, Sylvia!