PREPARATION FOR THE YEAR 2021 - FINAL PART
Earlier this week, we learnt that preparation is a very vital requirement for our successful pursuits in life. For every vision you receive or for every dream to come through, there must be a place of proper planning. What you don't plan well, you cannot run well. The lack of proper planning and preparation is what gets a man into confusion. Once you have no understanding that at these times, these are the things I ought to do, you become confused at the outcome you get. We see in 1 Corinthians 14:33 "for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace". So, where there is confusion, it is because certain things have not be prepared in order. Also note -worthy, our God is a God of times and seasons (Ecclesiastes 3); He makes all things beautiful in His time. It is preparation to understand that there are God's times and also seasons. This will help tailor you into what He has for you. Just because things are not working at certain times, doesn't mean they will not work. All you need to know is what is God's plan for that time. There are seasons to grow and there are seasons to reap. You cannot expect to reap a harvest when it is the season of sowing. Thus, it is very important to know what God is saying about every season of our lives and this will help us prepare and plan effectively. This is only possible when we have and maintain a working relationship with Him.
HOW THEN DO I EFFECTIVELY PREPARE FOR THE YEAR?
✓ Get on it with God: This is the most important aspect of our preparation and one I think should come first every time we decide on anything. Why so? Our God himself is master planner; who then can be able to show us the right way if not Him. If an event is to be planned, we seek out event planners even before doing anything. God is the event planner of our lives, so He has to come first. If we take a close look at our Biblical fathers, it was only because of their intimate relationship with God, that they were such great persons as the Bible depicts. Abraham in Isaiah 51:2 "Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him". We also see Isaac in Genesis 26:2, 12 "And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Then, Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him". So many instances from the scripture that tell us that if a man has not found his place with God; he can never enjoy His blessings. We must understand that the year is like a moving vehicle, let's say a public transport. You are on your way to a destination, coming from somewhere and going somewhere. No one knows better your direction than you and the driver himself. So, what determines whether you reach your destination is how well you have acquainted yourself with the driver. You have to know exactly where the driver is going and bring yourself to see where He is going and how it will lead to your own destination. Therefore, that relationship becomes important. The Driver here is God. He knows our destination and every route that we will follow; just trust Him enough to guide and watch your every step(Isaiah 48:17 "I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadest thee by the way that thou shouldest go".
✓ Seek Knowledge at all times: We understand by now that Preparation is seeking out the truth. One way we can prepare for success is by seeking to know truths about success. It is our understanding of a matter that makes us outstanding; and until you gain knowledge, you cannot get understanding. Knowledge can also be said to mean instructions. Proverbs 4:13 "Take fast hold of instructions; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life". Proverbs 4:7 talks about wisdom being the principal thing. But we must understand that wisdom just means applied knowledge. Thus, we must at all cost pay the price of knowledge so as to enjoy the fruits thereof. We can seek for knowledge by reading God's word; asking Him Father what is it you are saying. The Bible in Matthew 7:7 talks about how we can get this knowledge. "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:". Then, we see what happens in verse 8 "for everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened". Knowledge they say is Power; and we must be in control to see certain things the way we want it; therefore get knowledge. Jeremiah 6:16 "Thus, saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls". To have a year of rest, then at all times, seek to know.
✓ Reflect on the previous year: This is also very important. It is the first reflection that must be done. It is necessary that we stop to think; "what are the things that happened in the last year?; why couldn't I achieve what I set out to?; what were the problems I faced?" It is very good to reflect; and I must say every great leader or successful person in this world as at certain times reflected on their actions. Reflection is not a once and for all thing; it something you continue to do. It gives you a picture of what your earlier year was like and it helps to prepare you for the new year, maybe by avoiding those things that happened in the previous year or learning to cope with them when they come again. Thus, attention must be paid to Reflection. Until you have past reflections; it might be difficult to live your new year resolutions.
✓ Choose wisely your company: This is another awesome one. The company you keep goes a long way to determine the outcome of your life. No man can do it alone; this is why it is important to have people of like minds along with you on that adventure. When the soldier ants come out; they do so as an army. It is easier to defeat one than to defeat a hundred. Also, as a company, you tend to achieve more than you will do alone. But this is very crucial that you get the right company; because in the presence of wrong affiliations; you might not even achieve what you ought to as an individual. Yes, the Bible says in Deuteronomy 32:30 "one shall chase a thousand and two ten thousand". But, it also says in Amos 3:3 "can two walk together except they agree". Therefore, it is very important you are in the company of right minds, agreeable minds, who will trigger your desire for success.
✓ Formulate a plan: After reflecting on the previous year; it is very important to formulate a reasonable and achievable plan for the new year (reasonable and achievable). Many a times, the reasons some people don't achieve their dreams for the year are probably: they are unreasonable, unrealistic or more than can be achieved. If you put too many yam slices into a pot with insufficient water, you cannot expect to have a well boiled yam. This is the same way with our plans and resolutions for the year. They must be formulated yes; but also formulated right. Also, in formulating your plans; just like a to - do list, it should be in the order of priority. There are some items that should be higher up and some down the table. You are just starting a business and you want to be a global name or brand just as quick as you have started. There is nothing wrong in having great dreams; but it is best to wisely do it. Hence, to choose wisely- very important.
✓ Outline your path to your Goals: A goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or group of people envision, plan and choose to achieve. So, for every plan formulated, for every goal you set out to achieve, there are steps which need to be outlined "How do I want to achieve this?". It keeps and helps us in following carefully our plans. When we are able to set down the goals; it becomes easier to pursue after them. The plan is to become a brand name in your chosen field; the next is to outline the path to achieving it.
✓ Focus your gaze forward: This also means setting your eyes on the prize. To focus is to see clearly; the clear perception of your vision. As we have rightly said; Preparation is seeing. You then need to make sure you stay focused. You have seen yourself prospering in that chosen field; continue to stay on that sight. What happens when we lose sight on what we have decided to achieve; it can be stolen from us or it can even slip from our hands. This is why we must continue to look forward and not backward. Let nothing hold you back; no matter the pressure; keep your gaze forward. We see Lot's wife in Genesis 19; the instruction was to not look back as simple as that was; yet she did and could not achieve what they had planned i.e.get out of Sodom and Gomorrha. Luke 9:62 "And Jesus said unto him, No man having put his hand to the Plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God".
✓ Run with patience: In all you do to achieve your dreams; the attribute of Patience is needed. Hebrews 12:1 paraphrased "and let us run with patience the race that is set before us". A new year is not like a field race where you have to be the fastest you can to win; you will only get tired before you get to the finish line. We must carefully map out our plans and carefully follow them, knowing fully well that our life is governed according to times and seasons. When Elijah prayed that God will send forth the rain in 1 Kings 18; the Bible recorded he watched seven times. Didn't God have the power to bring the rain down immediately bit at certain times; God can use certain situations of our lives to teach us certain lessons. We just need to be patient.
✓ Avoid the enemies of Success: Every man wants to be successful; but not every man is successful. This is because, there will always be barriers, hindrances and obstacles to our success. The Israelites had to face so many challenges before they got to their land of Canaan. Even in the land, there were still hurdles they had to cross. This is to tell us we cannot do without facing these enemies; but we must learn to avoid them. The enemies of our success include procrastination, overconfidence, pride, envy, self indiscipline, greed, lack of adequate preparation, not being open to learning, laziness, poor time management, wrong associations, untrustworthy, doubt, lack of self control, not teachable, not trainable, strife ...all these among many others will fault our foundation of success and bring down the whole building. Thus, we must run and flee a great deal from them.
✓ Reflecting on the new year: This is the second reflection. Note the gerund 'ing' which stands for continuity. This means you continue to do over and over again. "Have I being able to meet up the goals for the first quarter?"; "Have I achieved little or more this term?" All these should form our reflection again for the current year. If there are things you want to that you have not done, then you seek to do them. If you have done them, then seek for other things to do; following again all that we have discussed so far.
I pray the new year shall be great for each and everyone of us. Amen and Amen...
