Catching Whimsy

1. Ambition Fueled by Love is a Powerful Force

It is not selfish to take the beautiful ambitions God has uniquely called you to and do the heavy lifting it takes to accomplish them. In fact, it might be selfish not to.

Ambition vs. Selfishness. Ambition, when driven by love and a desire to serve others, is not inherently selfish. It's about using your unique gifts and talents to make a positive impact on the world. Selfishness, on the other hand, is about prioritizing your own needs and desires at the expense of others. To discern the difference, consider:

• What are your highest lasting values?
• How do your ambitions connect to those values?
• Are you uniquely equipped to pursue these ambitions?
• Are you avoiding an ambition due to self-doubt or genuine selfishness?

Availability and Purpose. God has already placed unique gifts and ambitions within each of us. We should make ourselves available to opportunities that align with these gifts. It's not about controlling outcomes but about being open to the path God has laid out. It's not selfish to pursue these ambitions; it's a responsibility to use our gifts for good.

Action over Avoidance. Self-doubt can often masquerade as selfishness, causing us to avoid pursuing our ambitions. However, avoiding our calling can be more selfish than pursuing it. We should embrace the heavy lifting required to accomplish our God-given ambitions, knowing that it is not only for our benefit but also for the benefit of others.

2. Planning and Logistics are Equally Essential

“Measure it twice; cut it once.”

Strategy and Logistics. Success requires both a clear strategy and careful attention to logistics. Amateurs focus on strategy, while professionals focus on logistics. Both are needed, but logistics are often the key to execution. To ensure success, consider:

• What is your overall strategy?
• What are the specific steps required to achieve your goals?
• Who do you need on your team to help with the logistics?

Year-End Review. Imagine you are reviewing the past year. What would you say about it? Most people would list the things they completed, not the things they avoided. To avoid regret, plan for the year ahead as if it has already happened. Identify the tasks you want to complete and the people you need to help you.

Teamwork and Execution. A viable plan is only as good as its execution. Identify the people you need in your life to help you measure your plan a second time and then help you cut it once. This will help you avoid the year-end review where you kick yourself for not having the right team together to execute your ideas.

3. Regularly Audit Your Life's Relationships

Just as God is providing what I need, how can I be a part of providing what the people around me need?

Life Audits. Just as we audit our finances, we should regularly audit our lives. This involves taking a close look at our relationships, faith, generosity, and availability. It's about understanding where we are and where we need to grow. To conduct a life audit, consider:

• Family: What does each family member need that only you can give them?
• Faith: Has your faith grown, or is it staying the same?
• Friends: Who are you pouring into, and who is pouring into you?
• Self: What do you want to do in the coming year?

God's Provision and Our Response. God provides what we need, and we should be a part of providing what others need. This isn't just about material things but also about emotional and spiritual support. It's about being a source of encouragement and strength for those around us.

Actionable Steps. Auditing our lives isn't just about reflection; it's about action. For each area of your life, ask yourself how you can be a part of providing what the people around you need. This might involve a phone call, a kind word, or a helping hand.

4. Motivation Stems from Meaningful Reasons

It’s the foundation of a habit that makes it meaningful, not the decision to merely have a new practice.

Beyond Compliance. New habits are more likely to stick when they are rooted in meaningful reasons, not just compliance. Compliance is about doing what someone else tells you to do, while motivation is about doing what you believe is important. To develop lasting habits, consider:

• What are your underlying reasons for adopting this habit?
• Do these reasons speak to the deepest parts of you?
• Will these reasons motivate you to keep going when things get tough?

Foundational Reasons. The key to making new habits stick is understanding the underlying reasons for developing them. It's not enough to simply decide to do something; you need to understand why it matters to you. For example, if you decide to run every morning, your underlying reason might be that you want to be healthy and present in people's lives.

Grace and Encouragement. Don't be too hard on yourself when you slip up. Adopting new practices is about risk and extending yourself some grace. Surround yourself with people who genuinely encourage you and remind you why it's worth it.

5. Speak Life into Others' Potential

We will become what the people around us say we are.

Genuine Interest. Taking a genuine interest in others involves reminding them of who they are becoming, not just telling them what they should do. It's about seeing their potential and speaking life into their dreams. To take a genuine interest in others, consider:

• Stop telling them what you think they ought to do
• Remind them of who you think they are becoming
• Focus on their future, not their past

God's Perspective. Jesus didn't see Peter as a wimp after he denied knowing Him; He saw a rock. God doesn't see a loser revealed; He sees a leader emerging. We should strive to see others the way God sees them, focusing on their potential rather than their shortcomings.

Transformative Power. We will become what the people around us say we are. When people start seeing themselves the way God does, they are transformed. Let's be a part of helping those around us see what God sees in them.

6. Delight in Small Beginnings and God's Timing

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin.

Small Steps. It's easy to feel hopeless when we don't see immediate results. But God delights in small beginnings. The best way to reset from disappointment is to understand where you are now and where you're trying to go. To embrace small beginnings, consider:

• Be where your feet are
• Take small next steps toward your goals
• Experience the journey by trying to understand it

God's Delight. God isn't looking for a string of successes; He delights in our attempts. When my grandson took his first step, I didn't say, "I've seen better." Of course not. It was his first step, and I delighted in it. Continue to take small steps in Jesus' direction.

Patience and Grace. Don't beat yourself up when you mess up. God isn't looking for perfection; He delights in our attempts. Continue to take small steps in Jesus' direction, knowing that He is with you every step of the way.

7. Find Comfort in God During Joy and Sadness

God cares about us and all our experiences, good and bad.

God's Presence in All Circumstances. God cares about us and all our experiences, good and bad. He is not just present in our joy but also in our sadness. Sometimes, the first step isn't to fix the painful things in our lives but to mourn them. To find comfort in God, consider:

• Invite Jesus into your grief
• Understand that God is sad too
• Know that the quiet doesn't mean He's not there

Mourning and Healing. Mourning is an important first step in our own healing and the healing journey of others. It's not about dwelling in mourning permanently, but it's about acknowledging and processing our pain.

God's Timing. Jesus didn't bring Lazarus back to life immediately; He stopped and wept with Mary. God's timing is not always our timing, but it is always perfect. Trust that He is with you in your pain and will bring healing in His time.

8. Build Your Life on a Firm Foundation

Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them . . . he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.

Strong Foundations. Building a lasting life begins with a foundation as strong as rock. This foundation is built on loving God, loving others, and being generous with our time and gifts. To build a strong foundation, consider:

• What do you value most in your life?
• What are the impediments you keep running up against?
• What are the self-defeating habits you need to address?

Setbacks as Opportunities. Setbacks don't need to become campsites for us. We can recognize them as the sand that they are and start building our foundation on something stronger and more trustworthy.

Rebuilding and Courage. Just when we start to think we've dug ourselves a pit, we realize instead we're prepped to lay a new foundation. Have a little courage and rebuild your foundation. You've got this.

9. Question with Hope and Expectation

What is Jesus doing, and what is He going to do next?

Shifting Perspective. Sometimes the events in our lives are opportunities for God to show up. Instead of asking, "Why is this happening?" ask, "What is Jesus doing, and what is He going to do next?" This shift in perspective can help us see God's hand at work in our lives.

God's Search for Us. When things have been awful in our lives, it might feel like God has gone below the surface, but what I think is happening is that He is on the search for us. He is constantly searching for the most authentic version of us.

Convincing Proofs. Instead of wondering why things are happening, consider that these things are happening so the works of God could be put on display in your life. What might He be doing now, and what might He be doing next?

10. Trust God's Blueprint for Your Life

LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.

God's Plans. God already has plans for us that are good, lasting, and important. We sometimes get caught up in our own ideas and draw up a big roll of plans for our future before we bring it to Jesus. To trust God's blueprint, consider:

• What flat spot do you already have that you can invite Jesus into?
• Are you making the building fit the pad rather than making the pad fit the building?
• Are you getting caught up in your own ideas and drawing up a big roll of plans for your future before you bring it to Jesus?

Working with What You Have. Instead of trying to force our plans, we should work with what we already have. We should make the building fit the pad rather than making the pad fit the building.

God's Guidance. God already has plans for us that are good and lasting and important. Invite Jesus into the flat spot you already have and build something beautiful and lasting on it.

11. Step into Freedom and Extravagant Love

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

All-Access Pass. We have an all-access pass to more freedom than we might think. We can live with freedom in relationships, freedom to go deeper, freedom to ask questions of God. To experience this freedom, consider:

• What limitations have you placed on yourself?
• What fears are holding you back?
• What is your next move toward greater freedom?

Magnificent Invitation. You have a magnificent invitation to go deeper, make courageous changes, and expand your faith. Don't let your circumstances or the opinions of others hold you back.

Extravagant Love. Jesus demonstrated extravagant love in His life, and we are called to do the same. This involves loving people the way He did, with radical acceptance and without judgment.

12. Share the Love and Reflect Jesus

I thank my God every time I remember you.

Gratitude Audit. Go through the people in your life who have shaped you. Start with the earliest memory you have of somebody. Let them know the specific difference they made in your life. To express gratitude, consider:

• Who has impacted you the most?
• How can you thank them for their influence?
• How can you be that person in someone else's life?

Reflecting Jesus. We are all reflections of or reactions to the people we grew up with. We should be the up-close encouragers of others. Expressing encouragement doesn't need to be a grand, gigantic gesture either. It could be one or two words spoken at the right time.

Chain Reaction. Find someone who needs a kind word from you. Be their cheerleader and reflect Jesus' love to them. You just might start a chain reaction with the power to change the entire world.

Last updated: February 3, 2025