Set Your Sights

3 John 2 “Beloved I pray that you may prospers in all things and be in health, just as your souls prospers.”

When I was pretty young, my dad had a little fishing boat with one of those small motors with a control handle on it that powered us out to our favorite fishing hole. I’ll never forget the day when my dad told me that it was time to learn how to handle that big boy myself. So he got up front, and once I pulled the engine to life he taught me a principle that would serve me for the rest of my life. He said, “Son, I want you to pick a point out there on the horizon, and keep your sights on it. Because the winds and current will always fight against your ability to get to where you want go. So set your sight, and steer toward it.” It’s the nautical version of the old principle of, you hit what you are aiming at.

So what have you been setting your sights on? What are you aiming at? Because chances are, that if you can’t answer that question, either you’ve got your sights set on the wrong thing. Or if you don’t have it set on anything, and if that’s the case, then there is a good chance that your life may be adrift.

Ever wonder what God wants you to set your sights on? He wants us to set our sights on being prosperous. Now before you think I’m just talking about financial prosperity you’ve got to keep reading. The word “prospers” here is a compound word that paints the picture of having a successful journey. Who doesn’t want to have a successful journey, no matter where they are going, or what they are doing? We all do, we all want to reach our goals in life, both big and small. But what I like about this verse is that it gives us permission to have a well-balanced journey. Notice John’s prayer for us, is that we would prosper, that our health would be good, just as our soul prospered. Sounds to me like he is talking about having a prosperous journey through life—spirit, soul and body.

In other words, you don’t have to work yourself to death to be a success. You don’t have to sacrifice your marriage or your kids to prosper in you work. You truly can have it all, God’s way. So, the million-dollar question is where are we to set our sights. Well the answer to that is found in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” The answer is simple; we’re to keep our eyes on Jesus. When our eyes are on Him we can face the biggest storms and the strongest currents, and we can have a prosperous journey. A journey that’s focused on Him and not on things.

Beth and I are taking a couple of days to really seek God’s direction and pray, think, and talk about the next 20 years of our lives. We’re asking the Lord for what HE want us to focus on, not what we want, but what does HE want. It’s fun, it’s challenging, and in the meantime it’s super exciting to know that when we push off the shore that, with God’s help that we can successfully reaching our goals. Would you join us, take some time and really seek after the Lord and ask Him to help you to see where you should set your sights? Then keep your eyes on your target, and with God’s help you’ll get there!