Here is the last in my series on personal growth. If you haven’t read the other three, I recommend you go back and read them to get the full picture.
Assessment asks “where am I?”, alignment, “where am I going?”, and action asks, “how will I get there?” You may have noticed that a gap was created between your assessment and alignment, where you are now and where you hope to be. The third and critical step is creating an action plan to bridge this gap. Think of it as a road map to get you from current location to your desired destination.
Think for a moment on why you haven’t grown in some area in your life. For me, I knew my present condition and where I preferred to be, but I failed to create a clear plan to get there. Nothing changes without action and forward movement.
Let me speak a word of wisdom to you. I had fallen into a false belief that trusting God meant you don’t need to plan. If God wants it to happen, it will happen. Then I saw the truth that God plans and carries out what He plans. Proverbs praises the virtues of planning wisely and not being lazy. Paul planned to carry the Gospel into certain regions with specific dates and people and resources. So planning is actually a God given activity, not simply something we do in our own strength. This is where you join God is what he is doing in your life, Phil. 2:12-13.
There are two components to this action phase, creating goals and action steps to reach those goals. A growth plan is a dream or vision with a deadline and markers that keep you on track.
Goals are most easily created from your alignment statements. Let’s use our devotions example. You want a daily time of connecting with God. You now need to take this vision and create a goal such as, I purpose to have a consistent connection with God each day, by June 30, 2012.
Actions steps are how you will accomplish this goal. Here is an example you might come up with for this devotional area. Since I connect well with God when I’m exercising, and not sitting down, I’m going to take time to listen to the Bible on my ipod every morning and take a 30-minute run. I will also take time to pray during my run or when I am done as I reflect on what he is saying to me.
Be sure you write this action plan down on paper! Then review it weekly or at least monthly. I recommend you enlist your spouse or good friend to help you execute it well.
Every plan has to be worked on. Growth is not automatic. You take two steps forward and then one step back, but you make progress. Also, goals should not change, but your action steps are flexible. If something isn’t working, try something new. There is not just one way to do anything. God wired you uniquely, so cooperate with his design and grow! Little by little you will change. God purposed it and promised it. Now, what are you going to do about it?
Welcome to part 2 of my previous posts on developing your own personal growth plan. We have moved from assessment to alignment.
If assessment asks the question, “Where am I?” alignmentasks, “Where am I going?” Alignment is about vision, a preferred future in the areas you assessed and relies on your deeply held values, beliefs, and convictions. Another way to think of alignment is as a compass, it points you in the true direction you want to move toward.
As a Christian you draw from Scripture as a revelation of God’s design and the Holy Spirit who is working in you to transform you into the image of Christ. So more than just wishful thinking, alignment brings God’s purpose for your life into focus and asks, “By God’s grace where will I grow this year and what will it look like?” This is where you ask God for wisdom and clarity on what he is doing in your life and how you are to cooperate with him at this time .
Take each area you assessed and write down the preferred future. Let’s use our prior example. The assessment- I have an inconsistent devotional life and only have a quiet time a couple days of my week and even then it is brief and feels hurried. Mornings are hard for me to do this. The alignment (a preferred future for this area) I want to daily connection with God not out of duty, but for vital life giving relationship. I want to listen to him, get more of my identity from him and then talk to him about my life.
Just as in the assessment phase being specific and clear is an essential component to developing a good growth plan. General and vague descriptions will not help you. Be creative and descriptive in this area, not just practical. Picture it, then describe it in words.
I received this encouraging email today (with permission sharing it with you). It’s exciting to see what God is doing in our midst at Grace Church. Come on out and check out our new Sunday night 5 p.m. service. Kendrick
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Wanted to say thanks for all yours and other pastor’s efforts… 40 days will be a marvelous study. Being as usually, curious to a fault, just had to ride over the church Sun about 5 PM.
When I turned off Sage rd. done a double take… wow so many cars…. In fact suddenly found myself shedding tears of joy and praising God for the response. Certainly, to His glory and Grace’s credit and benefit as recipient of His love and grace.
In truth, had to regain my composure before getting out of the car to go in and talk to Jeremy. The lobby, sanctuary was overfilled.. It must admit I stood, bursting with “pride” or rather thankfulness to God and so much praising Him as I talked to others/dream team members before the service started. Sure it was long day for you all, but it has all the earmarks of a fabulous success…
Again,, many thanks, I know there are 2 groups there at the same time, yet it appears 4thservice if continues if Sun. was example, will rival 2nd and 3rd… God bless.. many thanks again!!! Rick
If you have never attempted this before you might be asking, “Where do you start when developing a personal growth plan?” There is no single way, but a wise person stated that you cannot move forward into the future without a clear understanding of where you are in the present. This is true in your personal growth. So I begin with an honest assessment of where your life is right now. I recommend you focus on your spiritual life, family (marriage and children), finances, and personal life. As a believer you have the Holy Spirit to help you with this. Often I’ll ask him to show me where I really am, not where I think I am. Here are some thoughts and questions I use to assess my life.
Where are you right now in the key areas of your life?
Ask God to reveal what He is working on in your life. It’s pretty easy to see our failures and make a long list of ways you want to improve. The primary goal of a life assessment is to discover what God is working on in your life and cooperate with him.
Be honest. What I mean is this, depending on your personality temperament you will see things better than they really are or worse. I tend to be optimistic and always see things better. So I have to “get real”. I have found a brutal honesty actually helps me grow.
Be specific. The less vague you are and the more specific you can be in each area, the greater potential for growth. For example, “my devotional life stinks”, may be true, but is not at all specific. You will get more traction with, “my quiet times are inconsistent and my mind wanders when ever I try to pray.” Or, “I’m $8,000 in credit card debt and have no savings”, will serve you much better than “my finances are a mess”.
Write your thoughts down. You will be able to clarify your current condition when you put your thoughts on paper.
Here are some areas I find helpful to assess
Worship -am I giving God his rightful place or have I let idols come in to take his place somewhere?
Devotional Life – what does my devotional life look like, in the Word, prayer, fasting, spiritual development, spiritual retreats, etc? How is my connection with God?
Relationships – If you are married, how am I relating to my spouse? What is our current relationship lacking? Same for my children. Singles, you can ask these same questions about other family or close friends.
Finances- Where am I in relation to my finances? Are they mastering me or am I mastering them? Do I have an adequate plan for now and the future?
Personal Development - How do I take care of my own soul, mind and body? Think about what books you read, relationships you intentionally build for friendship or mentoring, and your physical health and fitness.
This is the more difficult part in this process because you intuitively know these things are not where you want them, and it can be painful to see exactly where they are. But, that is ok, God does not intend to leave you there. Like the day you realized you were a sinner in need of Christ, it was both painful yet hopeful and joyful, so this assessment holds the promise of transformation. You are identifying the areas God wants to make new by the power of Christ in you.
We are eleven days into the New Year. Hopefully, you are excited about the possibilities of potential significant change in your life. If not, perhaps you are not considering your life from God’s perspective. He sees your future as a continuing process of change for the better. “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Phil.1:6. God’s purpose for every Christ follower is for you to grow progressively into a complete person, beautifully reflecting the image of God through Christ.
During the last couple of years I have come to realize I have hindered the growth God wanted by a lack of planning for it. Since then I have come to discover the power of a personal growth plan. Honestly, it has revolutionized my life and God-graced growth has increased significantly. And, because I am not naturally great at planning, I developed a process that is simple and connected to my relationship with God and others.
A personal growth plan helps you discover what God is currently doing in your life and intentionally join him in this transformation. We are not to play a passive role, but actively pursue the growth God is causing in our lives. In fact, we are commanded to do so.“ Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Phil 2:12-13. You see, God is the initiator, causing us to desire change and empowering us for growth, but we have an active role in seeing it come about. We work with God, by His grace, to see growth.
Over the next few days I’ll share the 3-step process I use, Assess, Align, Act. If you want to see more growth, I invite you to take a look and give it a try. Whether you use this plan or another, don’t go without a plan. God has much more for you than you might imagine, but you will have to be purposeful and intentional to join him in it.
As Grace Church opens a fourth service on Jan. 15, 2012, we are investigating the possibility of going to video announcements for each service. Below is one of the run throughs we did so we could see if video announcements is for us. Enjoy!
Phyllis and I love going to the movies. Unfortunately, it’s been a rather dull season for good movies with one powerful exception, The Help. It is the story of a young white woman who wants to tell the story of black moms who work for wealthy white families in the South in the 60’s. It touches on so many issues still affecting us today. Kathryn Stockett, the book’s author wrote it from her own experience. She causes all of us to face the cruelty that lurks in the human heart and the power of confronting those evils with truth. We had read the book last year and loved every page of it. So when we heard it was made into a movie we went on opening day. Movies can be watered down and even vastly transformed from the book. We weren’t disappointed with The Help. The acting was great, but it is the story itself that is so griping and impacting on your heart. Rarely would I say this of a movie, but you need to see this one, especially if you are from the South.
If you have read the book or seen the movie here is an set of article’s by Ed Stetzer helping you address the issues that surface front and center in this movie. Phyllis and I were moved in so many ways and I’m sure you will be as well. Get ready to have your heart moved and definitely bring some tissues.
