How do you find focus for your year? Do you keep a list of goals and resolutions, map out a 5 year plan for your life, or set a general direction? Or, does the mere question cause you to break out in a cold sweat, feeling hopelessly behind?
Instead of making a list of resolutions for the year, I select one-word for the year as my focus. However, I also like to create some sort of plan as a guide. I like to set an objective for the year, some target I’m moving toward so that I’m making progress and not just spinning my wheels or veering off-course. I do both of these through focused prayer to ensure my plans are aligned with God’s plans, leaving plenty of flexibility for God to move me beyond my own ideas.
3 Steps to Find Focus for Your Year
1) Be Intentional and Make a Plan
If we set off on a trip without a plan – no map, no destination, no plan of where we’re going – we won’t get very far. In fact, would you even get out of town? Indecision often leads to inactivity. I see it when it’s lunchtime and no one wants to choose where to go. We sit in a quagmire of indecision and don’t go anywhere.
Be intentional and make a plan. Some people like resolutions, some make lists of goals or objectives, others choose one word as a guide. Do what works for you – or if you haven’t found something that works, try something new. The important part is to set a plan and then step into it.
A word of caution: Sometimes your plans will change – sometimes they need to change – so keep your heart aligned with God and be willing to adjust your plan if He guides you a different way.
2) Pause and Reflect
We can so easily get caught up in all the busyness of a new year that it’ll be half-over before we realize. Take time now to pause and reflect. Look back over the past year (or past several years) and take note of your journey. What have been the high points and low points? How has God been guiding you? Where have you followed His lead and where have you chosen your own path? How has that impacted your journey?
Next, look ahead at where you want to go and where you feel God leading you. What do you want to change in your life from last year? What do you want to keep doing or expand upon? What are the growth edges where you feel God pushing you to grow and develop?
3) Ground Yourself in Prayer and Scripture
As you draft your plan for the year, spend time in prayer and scripture to confirm this plan is in line with God’s plan for your life. Make sure you’re hearing His voice as your guide and not the voices of the world. Tune your ear and your heart to God’s voice, so you can follow His lead through this year.
Choose a Bible reading plan to keep you in scripture. Biblegateway.com has a lot of great reading plans and devotionals. You can use their app to keep track of your plan or have the daily reading emailed to your inbox. It will even read the Bible to you, so you can keep up even during your commute. Not matter what plan you use or how/when you read, the important part is to stay rooted in scripture throughout the year.
Set aside time for prayer. Try starting your planning process with a focused 21 days of prayer to help you focus and tune into God’s plans. For 21 days, commit to daily prayer over a specific topic or question – maybe your plan for the year. As you pray daily over this same question or topic, allow God to work in your heart. Don’t worry if you don’t get a specific answer. Prayer is more about getting your heart aligned with God than getting a specific answer. The important part is to open the daily conversation with God.
Resources for 21 Days of Prayer:
If you’re looking for help getting started with 21 days prayer, I’ve created these resources for you:
- I’ll send you a FREE copy of Surrender Your Heart, a 21 day devotional focused on surrendering your heart to the power of the Holy Spirit, when you subscribe to my newsletter (simply enter your email below).
- Pray Deep: 21 Days to Ignite Your Prayer Life will introduce you to a variety of prayer methods and help you explore the very nature of prayer and its importance in your life. (Available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle)
- Pray Deep: Finding Stillness in the Storm is focused on finding peace and stillness in the midst of life’s storms and will help you find hope in God, even when your situation doesn’t feel very hopeful. (Available on Amazon in paperback; Kindle version coming soon.)
{These are affiliate links – and my own books – so you’ll be helping sustain this blog if you purchase through them.}
How do you set the course for your year? Do you choose one word, create a list of goals and resolutions, map out a detailed action plan and objectives, or just wing it? If you’re feeling like you’re drifting and not achieving your goals – or not even sure what your goals are – pause and reset. Get intentional about your life and make a plan. Pause and reflect on where you’ve been, what are your dreams and how are you progressing toward them, and where is God leading you. Then, spend focused time in prayer to listen for God’s direction. Let Him guide your path and help set the plan.
3 Steps to Find Focus for Your Year – Prayer & Possibilities
How do you find focus for your year? Do you keep a list of goals and resolutions, map out a 5 year plan for your life, or set a general direction? Or, does the mere question cause you to break out in a cold sweat, feeling hopelessly behind?
Instead of making a list of resolutions for the year, I select one-word for the year as my focus. However, I also like to create some sort of plan as a guide. I like to set an objective for the year, some target I’m moving toward so that I’m making progress and not just spinning my wheels or veering off-course. I do both of these through focused prayer to ensure my plans are aligned with God’s plans, leaving plenty of flexibility for God to move me beyond my own ideas.
3 Steps to Find Focus for Your Year
1) Be Intentional and Make a Plan
If we set off on a trip without a plan – no map, no destination, no plan of where we’re going – we won’t get very far. In fact, would you even get out of town? Indecision often leads to inactivity. I see it when it’s lunchtime and no one wants to choose where to go. We sit in a quagmire of indecision and don’t go anywhere.
Be intentional and make a plan. Some people like resolutions, some make lists of goals or objectives, others choose one word as a guide. Do what works for you – or if you haven’t found something that works, try something new. The important part is to set a plan and then step into it.
A word of caution: Sometimes your plans will change – sometimes they need to change – so keep your heart aligned with God and be willing to adjust your plan if He guides you a different way.
2) Pause and Reflect
We can so easily get caught up in all the busyness of a new year that it’ll be half-over before we realize. Take time now to pause and reflect. Look back over the past year (or past several years) and take note of your journey. What have been the high points and low points? How has God been guiding you? Where have you followed His lead and where have you chosen your own path? How has that impacted your journey?
Next, look ahead at where you want to go and where you feel God leading you. What do you want to change in your life from last year? What do you want to keep doing or expand upon? What are the growth edges where you feel God pushing you to grow and develop?
As you draft your plan for the year, spend time in prayer and scripture to confirm this plan is in line with God’s plan for your life. Make sure you’re hearing His voice as your guide and not the voices of the world. Tune your ear and your heart to God’s voice, so you can follow His lead through this year.
Choose a Bible reading plan to keep you in scripture. Biblegateway.com has a lot of great reading plans and devotionals. You can use their app to keep track of your plan or have the daily reading emailed to your inbox. It will even read the Bible to you, so you can keep up even during your commute. Not matter what plan you use or how/when you read, the important part is to stay rooted in scripture throughout the year.
Set aside time for prayer. Try starting your planning process with a focused 21 days of prayer to help you focus and tune into God’s plans. For 21 days, commit to daily prayer over a specific topic or question – maybe your plan for the year. As you pray daily over this same question or topic, allow God to work in your heart. Don’t worry if you don’t get a specific answer. Prayer is more about getting your heart aligned with God than getting a specific answer. The important part is to open the daily conversation with God.
Resources for 21 Days of Prayer:
If you’re looking for help getting started with 21 days prayer, I’ve created these resources for you:
{These are affiliate links – and my own books – so you’ll be helping sustain this blog if you purchase through them.}
How do you set the course for your year? Do you choose one word, create a list of goals and resolutions, map out a detailed action plan and objectives, or just wing it? If you’re feeling like you’re drifting and not achieving your goals – or not even sure what your goals are – pause and reset. Get intentional about your life and make a plan. Pause and reflect on where you’ve been, what are your dreams and how are you progressing toward them, and where is God leading you. Then, spend focused time in prayer to listen for God’s direction. Let Him guide your path and help set the plan.