Alice came
upon the Cheshire Cat sitting on the bough of a tree.
“Would you
tell me please which way I ought to go from here?”
“That
depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat
“I don’t
much care where---“ said Alice
“Then it
doesn’t matter which way you go ,” said the Cat
“—so long as
I get Somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation.
“Oh, you’re
sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”
I am sure,
if you are anything like me, you have a picture in your head of who or what you
wish you were. Unlike Alice you have a vision for where you want to get to.
. Take a minute to write down
how you envision the “there” in your life.
Maybe you
would change something about your physical appearance or your spiritual fervor
or maybe you just wish you had it all together.
Sometimes what
we picture is attainable and other times what we hope for is wishful thinking.
I am quite certain that I have the ability to gain more order to the chaos in
my house but it is highly unlikely that I will ever be a cute, petite blond!
The
destination is important but before we fully set our sights on where we want to
be, we have to weigh in to make sure our goal is a realistic one. If it isn’t
then we are setting ourselves up for failure and disappointment. Often we place
our contentment on a future desire and then wonder why we aren’t happy.
As I think through all the areas of my life:
Physical – I would love to be thinner, healthier, and have more energy BUT it is unrealistic for me to expect to be the
size, shape or have the energy I did when I was 20
Mental – I want to be a positive thinker and embrace lifelong learning. I think if I stop learning I will stagnate.
Emotional – I want to be forgiving and gracious. I don't want to harbour bitterness. I desperately want to be more in control of my
emotions.
Relational
(social) – I want to keep growing in a happy contented marriage. I enjoy quality friendships that
challenge, encourage and hold me accountable. I would love to have a mentor that invests in me and shares with me the wisdom they have gleaned. I enjoy mentoring younger women. I embrace that picture of having a hand forward to someone in the journey ahead of me and back in the journey behind me. Living in community. We are in this together.
Spiritual – I want to thrive in my daily
devotions and know scripture. I want my counsel to be
I think
there is an important fact that we all need to stop right here and accept.
Repeat after me
“I am not
perfect. I will never be perfect this side of heaven.”
It is
important that we give ourselves permission to not be “all that”. THAT is an
unrealistic expectation and the sooner we accept this truth, the better. Please
don’t get me wrong. I don’t think that this is a license to live recklessly and
do whatever I want because I “ain’t never gonna be perfect.” However, many of
us hold onto the ideal of perfection like it is the holy grail. This isn’t what
God calls us to be.
Motivational
speaker Ronnie Doss says
“You don’t have to be the best. You just need to be
the best ‘you’ that God calls you to be"
I think that
our “There” should look something like this
“Therefore, since we are surrounded
by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race
marked out for us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of
faith.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross,
scorning its shame,
and
sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured
such opposition from sinners,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Hebrews 12: 1-3
In light of the cross my daily battles seem minor.
When I fix
my eyes on Jesus, the rest will fall into balance.
Keeping an eternal perspective
can keep me from focusing too hard on the temporal things.
