As we head into a new year it is always a good time to pause and consider the influence you have over the next 12 months. Perhaps you’ve set goals in the past and haven’t kept them. Maybe you don’t set goals anymore. Maybe life is so busy that you are simply trying to get by. But I want you to think about the future in a different way for a minute.
The future consists of thoughts you haven’t thought yet, words you haven’t spoken yet, actions you haven’t done yet, and circumstances you don’t know yet. Of the four components of the future, you control three of them. You choose your thoughts, words and actions, and each of them are “seeds” that carry potential.
Rather than trying to arrange circumstances and react to challenges, you can decide now to sow your future with positive thoughts, words and acts of kindness. Each seed of life that you sow carries the nature of its source, your heart. And if your heart is in tune with the Father’s heart, you will be releasing God’s possibilities into your future.
Thoughts words and actions of forgiveness, love, patience and encouragement can shape the people and events around you. You can sow your way into a better relationship with your spouse or children. You can sow your way into promotion at work. You can help others make wise decisions by simply sowing kindness and wisdom into them. You can change the future of yourself and others.
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things . . .” (Mt. 12:35)
Your future is in your heart. And the future of others can be shaped by what’s in your heart. Choose to be proactive in shaping the future this year. Be a sower of God’s love, kindness, faith, service and wisdom. Next year at this time you will look back on a harvest of blessings!
The writer is a Dean of Instuctors at Charis Bible College in Colorado. He reserves all rights to this publication.
