Begin With The End in Mind

Your daily choices are building your future. Discipline isn’t about control—it’s about becoming who God called you to be. If you have a place you'd like to be, start that journey with it in mind!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:18

Hello everybody, welcome to another bonus episode of 5 Minutes in Coffee. First of all, I want to thank you for being a subscriber to this podcast. As a subscriber, you get bonus episodes. Your donation is very much appreciated, and my goal is to make your investment in 5 Minutes in Coffee actually be an investment in you. So remember, after this discussion, I will ask you a couple of questions for you to consider. And after you have thought about your answers to these questions, head over to our Christian community on Discord and put your answers there. The link will be in the description. Then take some time to read what other people are saying. You may be able to offer them advice or encourage them or to just see things from their perspective. Remember, speak to one another in Christian love and respect. I looked at the area where I would lay this new St. Augustine sod to make my lawn look beautiful. I did not measure it, I simply eyeballed it, and I came up with a number in my head that I thought would be good. I went to purchase the sod, I brought it home, and I placed it in my lawn. Lo and behold, it did not even complete 10% of the job. And I thought to myself, man, this is awful. Because now I'm going to have to spend more money than I wanted to, and I'm not going to finish it this weekend. I had a goal in mind, however, I did not truly plan that goal out. I did not take the time to prepare with the end in mind. I did not take the time to plan appropriately. In our last bonus episode, we discussed discipline and obedience, how it protects us and guides us towards a life that is both pleasing to God and better for us personally. In this episode, I'd like to plan on results. And with those results, having the end in mind, but also the steps to get to the end and not just glossing over them. The Bible puts it this way Luke chapter 14, verses 28 through 30. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, This person began to build and wasn't able to finish. How prophetic those words were. What do we need to address in our behavior to walk towards the results we desire? What are your current habits and what will your new habits be? If I want to buy my first house, it will not just happen. My budget will need to be adjusted so that I am saving more than I am spending. Is this a one-year goal, a three-year goal, or a ten-year goal? When you understand what you are trying to achieve, it gives you a better vision for walking towards your goal. But it can also show the reasons why you may not be achieving your goal. If I wanted to drive to New York from Florida, if I just got in my car and drove in whatever direction felt right, there's a pretty decent chance that I'm not going to end up in New York. Or what if I put the New York location in my GPS, but my GPS thinks I'm starting from Washington State? How would that work out? If I don't know what direction I'm heading in, how can I adjust my route? This applies to so many other aspects of life. What does a promotion look like to you at work? Beginning with the end in mind means you're ready to assume more responsibility by seeking this promotion. And as you begin to think about this goal, you have to ask yourself, can you handle your current responsibilities? If not, then why are you asking for more? If you're looking for a better marriage, what does your shared end goal with your spouse look like of a happy marriage? Are you willing to sacrifice selfish tendencies? If not, how happy can your marriage be when in a marriage you submit to one another? The list goes on. Another aspect of beginning with the end in mind is how long do I want this goal for? Sometimes goals are very specific to a very specific time. Like I want to lose weight for this vacation. But what if the goal is to lose weight for a healthier life? Or if I want a happy marriage, how long do I want this happy marriage for? If I discipline myself and I set my goals for a happy marriage, and then I stop implementing that discipline a year after building up the habit, I can be sure that my marriage will slip back into where it was before. It's why we gained weight back after it died, it's why we stopped going to church, it's why we don't become and achieve what we desire. We want to get to a destination, but sometimes we don't consider how long we want to be at that destination, which can be just as devastating. Why pack one day of clothes for a three-week trip? Or why pack business suits for a swim vacation? Think about your results and what you want to achieve. Pray about them, find someone wise to discuss this with, and begin with the end in mind. So today, write down one goal, pray on it, and pursue it. Starting with the end in mind doesn't mean it will always go perfectly, leave room for adjustments and work towards the goal. You are already practicing obedience and discipline. Now we move forward with the end in mind. Before we get into the discussion questions, don't forget to join our Discord group and meet with like-minded Christians. The link is in the description. With that being said, here are the questions. Number one, when you think about your biggest goal right now, have you truly counted the cost as Jesus describes in Luke 14, 28 through 30? Or have you mostly just wished for the results? Number two, what habits in your life are quietly working against the very results you say you want? And what Bible-based changes could replace them? Number three, are you pursuing results as a temporary milestone or as a lasting lifestyle? And how would your approach change if you intended to sustain them for the long haul? Thank you for listening to this bonus episode of 5 Minutes in Coffee.