“It’s time to begin righting the story of your life.” – David Jeremiah
Regular fliers don’t typically pay attention to pre-flight safety announcements. The “we request your full attention as the flight attendants demonstrate the safety features of this aircraft” goes in one ear and out the other. So we typically don’t know where the exits are in this particular aircraft and as a result, we won’t know instantly how to evacuate a plane. The solution is to listen to the pre-flight safety announcements or familiarizing ourselves with briefing cards after boarding the airplane and before takeoff. If there is going to be a mass exodus from the plane, you don’t want to be the one left behind because you didn’t know where the exits are.
It makes one think about all our plans for the New Year and whether we need some exits. We spend all our time on the entrance strategies in the form of New Year’s resolutions and don’t pay enough attention to putting exit strategies in place. Exit strategies demand that we be prepared. We also have to be observant and make mental notes of the exits we have in mind. And we have to be aware of our surroundings. Now that you are probably confused, let me give you a few examples of exit strategies:
First, submitting to God: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) What does submitting to God look like at the end of the year compared to the beginning of the year? Have a strong prayer life: “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) What will my prayer life look like when I exit 2021? Know God’s Word: “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” (Hebrews 4:12) And be more like Christ. “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” (Romans 13:14) What will be different when 2021 ends?
As we go through life, there are so many things that we get overly focused on, or that we spend so much time and effort on that really aren’t going to count when it comes to eternity. If there is any good news in 2020 it is this: Crisis brings focus. The pandemic reminded us of what’s most important. We used this year to stop doing the things we didn’t need to be doing. This new year is the opportunity to take what we learned and make any necessary changes.
It would be pretty easy to follow those things if we could see the red lights in the aisles or the exit signs flashing the location of the exits. When spiritual emergencies arise, we just need to run to one of the exits and make sure they are predominant in our lives.
So, what are your exit strategies for 2021?
Discussion Question:
- In what areas do you need to have an exit strategy?
- What can you do this week to develop an exit strategy for that area?