One Step At A Time
I love a new year. It makes me happy. It is all the freshness, the blank slate and all the potential waiting in those next 12 months looming ahead. It is the time of year that I love to get refocused on long simmering goals, and re-energizing those I may not have met during the last 12 months.
I tend to be a bigger goal person. I see a lifestyle or a completed picture of where I want to go, and I feed off of that. I love the energy I get from seeing where I want to go. It will be so great. I like that better than focusing on the details, because quite honestly, the details can get overwhelming. It is somewhat easier to look at the big picture of where I want to go and dream of that, than to actually look at what it will take to get there.
In my mind, it is the difference in looking way ahead at the finish line and dreaming of how great it will feel to get there, versus looking down at my feet and taking the first steps to get there. One is significantly easier than the other.
Yet, clearly I will never achieve those lofty goals if I do not, indeed, look at the details, take the first step or start moving toward the goal itself. I must begin.
That part can feel like so much. We want to read through the Bible in a year, lose 10 pounds, or run a marathon –all great things, but they mean nothing without the first day of reading, the first good food choice, or the first mile of training.
And then the next one.
[pullquote width=”300″ float=”left”]I have to move this little bit so that I can start to bridge that gap between here and there.[/pullquote]As I stand at the starting line of 2016, with so many wonderful plans and goals ahead, I am trying to shift my mind and heart to my first and next steps. I can only focus on the place where God has me right now. I can’t take one giant step and get to my goals, I have to take all the little steps in between. I have to take this step before I can take the next one. No skipping. I have to move this little bit so that I can start to bridge that gap between here and there. I would like the end game to just get here already, but really there is so much joy in the steps. There is so much pleasure in seeing how far we have come once we get there, just taking one step at a time.
As you stand at the starting line of this year, may I encourage you to simply embrace the steps you are taking today? When God places desires on our hearts, he gives us the means to achieve those desires, but often he does it just a little bit at a time. With each step we get closer to our goals and the finish line.
My prayer for you, dear reader, for whatever road God has you on is that you,
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn.” Psalms 37:4
May your reward shine so brightly, your steps feel light as you move toward it.
- One Step At A Time - January 21, 2016
- And Be Thankful - December 4, 2015
- Meditation: A Practice of Thankfulness - November 18, 2015
Courtney – thanks so much for sharing this perspective. It’s always good to remind ourselves that dreams are only built on top of the steps we take today. Love how you said – “…versus looking down at my feet and taking the first steps to get there. One is significantly easier than the other.” Enough said. I have to go get moving.
Great reminder this morning! (As I prepare for another day of probably not doing what I should be doing…)
I get so overwhelmed with everything it will take to get to my goal I sometimes forget I only have to go one step at a time. Thanks for the reminder!
As Lysa TerKeurst says, imperfect progress is still progress. Thank you for reminding me to take joy in the bridging of the gap between here & there.
Here and there. I have to be honest, I’ve not set a goal for myself in a long time. I have a here, but no there. My whole last year was running fast on the hamster wheel. Your post is causing me to do some thinking. Thanks for the well wishes, Courtney. Happy New Year.
Love that Psalm Courtney, adding it to my vision board. I have a boatload of big goals. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed on where to start that I don’t even get started. Meh! This year I’ve started writing daily and monthly mini-goals that get me one step closer to my big goal. Great post!