The One Thing

You know the saying- A New Year, A New You. So I decided yesterday that the new, organized me would begin the process of decluttering my bedroom. I'm the princess of piles, and as I rummaged through old paperwork, I found a list I made a few years ago. Scratched across the top of the page was the title "Things I Want to Change- New Disciplines." And listed below the title were 21 goals I desired to accomplish in my life. Now these weren't just any goals, but lofty ones like:

• Develop a proactive plan for my life rather than merely reacting, moving from crisis to crisis
• Have a specific vision for the spiritual growth of my marriage and my children
• Establish a tighter routine for my kids and a consistent plan for discipline
• Be accountable to a budget
• Love others as Christ does
• Memorize Scripture
• Develop a plan for keeping my home and stick to it

Sounds great, right? Well, not exactly. Because of those 21 goals, I've consistently accomplished only four. Disappointment stung my soul as feelings of failure crept in. And I wondered why so many times in my life I've made resolutions but failed to keep them.

I got my answer at church this morning. As my pastor preached on goal setting, he said that the source of our frustration is misidentification. The Lord revealed to me that while goals are good and plans make life purposeful, any time I elevate those things over the "priceless gain of knowing Christ," I'll end up disgruntled and miserable (Philippians 3:8). That's because God never intended for me to be satisfied with anything but Him. The fulfillment of any goal, no matter how lofty, will never compare to knowing Jesus in a personal, passionate, and powerful way.

As I write this, the lyrics of a worship song entitled Knowing You echo in my mind, and I pray they'll minister truth to your spirit as you start this new year.

All I once held dear, built my life upon,
All this world reveres and wars to own;
All I once thought gain I have counted loss,
Spent and worthless now compared to this.

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, You're the best,
You're my joy, my righteousness,
And I love You Lord.

Now my heart's desire is to know You more,
To be found in You and known as Yours,
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All surpassing gift of righteousness

Oh to know the power of Your risen life,
And to know You in Your sufferings;
To become like You in Your death, my Lord,
So with You to live and never die.

Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, you're the best.
You're my joy, my righteousness.
And I love you Lord.

I know we'll make plans and set goals for the first year of this dawning decade. But in the process, let's never forsake the one thing for which we were created- to know God and be known by Him.