Tips for Moving On

A Fresh Start for a New Year

Because I'm a creature of habit, I'm often reluctant to change my routine. Some habits are worth keeping but some need a good cleaning out.

Are you, too, a creature of habit? Do you find it hard to change old ways? Many aspects of your life may need to be examined and weighed to see if change is necessary. They may be important matters of the heart or just minor things in the course of a day that need rethinking or revising since you've moved. Now is the time to make a fresh start. What a great opportunity to make some changes that will give you new direction, and make your life easier and more enjoyable.

The giant step of self-discipline will be the springboard for setting new goals, new priorities, and doing some reorganizing. Philippians 3:13-14 gives me some biblical insights regarding self-discipline. "I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Do you see the four key phrases in these verses which are necessary for self-discipline? They are: one thing, forgetting, reaching forward, and press on.

1. One thing means I need to be single-minded and focus on what I'm trying to accomplish. Doing ten things at once is definitely a distraction from my primary goal.

2. Forgetting indicates putting something out of my mind. I need to clear my mind of less important things so that I can be free to do what is most significant.

3. Reaching forward involves stretching or extending myself. At times I feel like I'm trying to do something that's out of reach; but the more I stretch toward the goal, the closer I come to achieving it.

4. Press on means to go forward with effort and commitment. Worthwhile goals aren't simply going to happen. They must be pursued with determination.

My daddy told me when I got married, "You can find out everything you need to know about how to live your life - everything from spending money to being a good wife to raising children - all in the Bible. That's the best manual you can have." I continue to get wonderful direction, for even the smallest things, right within its pages. I even find instruction for self-discipline and setting goals.

I encourage you to rethink and reflect on any area of your life that you feel might need a change, either personal or spiritual. This may be just the right time to turn things around.

(Excerpted from After the Boxes Are Unpacked by Susan Miller)