Dr. Charles Stanley
Read | Galatians 6:9-10
No matter how carefully we plan our time, we will now and then run into obstacles. They might be interruptions, miscommunications, cancellations, or delays. We have no control over many of these types of situations, but we are able to change certain kinds of hindrances.
We can, for example, adjust misplaced priorities. Consider how often we allow others to dictate how we spend our time. Instead of maintaining a God-centered schedule, we may be responding to the demands of other people, permitting them to decide our activities without regard for what God has in mind for us.
Circumstances can also determine our schedule, if we permit. But we cannot succeed in life if we let ourselves be drawn away from what God wants. Investing time in the Word and learning God’s ways must be an integral part of our schedule.
Another hindrance to reaching our goal is procrastination. We all experience this on occasion, but for some of us, putting things off has become a habit. When that’s the case, we no doubt have many good intentions but lack follow-through. Success will evade us as long as we dally.
A third hindrance that we can work to overcome is lack of concentration. To be successful, we must focus our minds on a particular task and stay with it until it is finished. Having a strong motivation to achieve the Lord’s plan is helpful, as we work at completing what we value and desire. How important to you is achieving the Lord’s plan? Align your thinking and your time with His ways, and success—in God’s eyes—will follow.