By taking the time to acquire knowledge, you will be ready for the opportunities that life brings. If you are not prepared, they will pass you by and go to others. God said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” So, when we think strategically it prepares us for the future. None of us know what tomorrow will bring. The only thing that is worse than the uncertainty of tomorrow is having no plan and strategy for your life.
Having a strategic plan for your life will help you to avoid shooting from the hip. Any time you shoot from the hip, you increase your margin of error. It is like a golfer stepping up to a ball and hitting it before lining up the shot. Misaligning a shot by a few degrees can send your ball a hundred yards off target.
Strategic thinking lines up your actions with your objectives, just as lining up a shot in golf helps you to put the ball closer to the pin. Remember that the better you are aligned with your target in life, the better the odds that you will be going in the right direction.
When you are faced with a problem that overwhelms you, break it down into smaller, more manageable parts so you can focus on each of them more effectively. Don’t try to juggle the whole thing in your head. Put it down in writing so you can get a clearer picture. One of those small parts may be the key that opens the door. And if you still cannot find a solution to your problem then take it to God in prayer.
The great psalmist David said, “the Lord will perfect that which concerns me.” If something is of concern to you, it’s of concern to the God who loves you. When you give your problem to God, you will awaken in the morning with an amazingly simple solution to the problem that was so overwhelming the night before. The psalmist goes on to say, “I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night season.”
Remember that God knows what you don’t know, and prayer gives you access to his knowledge. Finally, be prudent with your life and take time to acquire knowledge. You will discover that your problem isn’t as bad as you thought. Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Chaplain Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
