#GOALS
I’ve been off social media for almost 90 days. I’ve spent
time just resting and “being”. Appreciating the stillness of life without an
audience and without the noise of “they”. This is not a blog to demonize social
media or convince you to do what I did, because I know it’s not for everyone
but it was so needed for me. I didn’t have a set time frame to be away. I just
knew I needed a break. Why? I’m glad you asked!
Being married, owning a business, leading a ministry, and
just being a woman comes with so many external pressures, it can become
overwhelming if you let it. Life and the pressure to always be doing something,
anything, everything can be suffocating. And since social media is the place
that we choose to share our accomplishments, failures (not as much),
announcements, deals, and anything else that comes to mind, you can become
inundated with everyone’s “doing”. Facebook has even given us all the option to
let the poster know how much we do or do not “like” what they’re sharing with
us. I have my own personal feelings about that but this time away from the
hustle and bustle of everyone’s thoughts about the US election, the
President-elect and his new administration, tragedies, triumphs, etc. has given
me clarity, peace, and direction about some of my own “goals”.
Before I made my exit from social media, I noticed the
growing use of the hashtag #Goals and I started to wonder what my own goals
were based on. My goals for my family, my business, the ministry, my health,
and my friendships. Were these goals based on some standard set by people or by
the purpose God has for my life. Whose expectations was I trying to live up to?
Even in our desire to conceive and give birth to a child, it is important that
I define why that holds such a significant place in my life and how I accept
God’s plan regarding my desires.
Proverbs 29:25 in The Message Bible says “the fear of human
opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that”.
I know that everyone is motivated by different things and
that’s between you and the Creator. But for me, it is important that I gain my
validation from being in agreement with the Lord regarding every aspect of my
life. God didn’t send His Son Jesus to rescue for me to be more concerned about
what other people have to say about my who, my what, and my why than I’m
concerned about what God thinks. It used to really bother me that people were
free to do and say whatever they wanted to do, make money however they wanted
to, and make claims that were untrue. It would have me so bothered that I would
lose sleep over this supposed freedom that people had that I didn’t have. I
didn’t have that same freedom because of the convictions that I have. I wasn’t
jealous, I was confused!
Now, in 2017 I remember that our goals aren’t the same and I
don’t need to be concerned about what their goals are because that has
absolutely nothing to do with me. Our standards aren’t the same, our
expectations aren’t the same, and God’s plans for us aren’t in the same. This
doesn’t condemn them but it freed me to have peace with my process. That’s the
issue with distractions. They keep you from focusing on the things that YOU
need to be focused on: God’s perfect will for your life.
There is nothing wrong with your goals, as long as they are
truly yours. The Bible says that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and by
the word of their testimony (Revelation 12:11). So, we should be inspired by
the testimonies of those that are surrendered to God. That should be the thing
that keeps us chasing after God because that same God that never left them, is
the same God that will never leave us. But don’t be so distracted by their
results that you miss the beauty of your process.
Sometimes you need to take an inventory of your life and see
what’s motivating you, what’s framing your perspective, and what your goals are
based on.
Jeremiah 17:9 tells us "The human heart is the most
deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it
is?”
While we are so quick to judge the hearts and motives of others,
we need to be doing the same things with ourselves. For me, that’s difficult
when I’m bombarded with everyone’s opinions on everything. I needed to steal
away for some quiet time to hear about me. To hear about why I have the goals
that I do. Because I’m human, I know this will be a constant battle with my
flesh. To look at myself in the mirror and ask God for the grace to transform
what’s not like Him. That takes courage and humility, things that don’t come
naturally for us.
So, as I make my slow return to social media I come back
with fresh eyes, fresh perspective, and fresh limits. I don’t want to miss the
Creator because I’m so busy looking at the creation. That’s not my goal!
Mrs. Truscott
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