There are times in life when we need to pause and take stock of what is happening, then possibly move in new directions.  Some folks like to do that at the beginning of a new year, but it can be done any time.  When that happens, we are at the “Ready!”  Nothing is going to get done until we are ready to change.

    After we conclude there needs to be a change, and bring ourselves to the ready, we must determine what direction to take.  We must take aim in some direction.  This is an extremely important factor.  Where we aim makes a great deal of difference.

    Pat and I have successfully navigated another deer season out our way.  During deer season we are always very careful where we walk, even on our own property, because there might be a hunter who aims at the wrong thing (namely US!)  Where the gun is pointed matters to us.

    It is no less critical that we aim at the right things when we feel God is leading us to make some corrections.  We need to be careful that we know what He wants.  We need to be specific about where we “point the gun” of our purpose.  Prayer, Bible study, counsel from trusted friends, etc. will help us make the right choices and take proper aim.

    But there is another step.  Someone said, “Many people have the right aim in life, but they never pull the trigger.”  It is not enough to decide to change and to select the correct target for change.  We must actually do something to effect the change.  We must pull the trigger.

    It is precisely at this point that most of us fail.  We may have good hearts that desire change.  We may have noble goals toward which we aim.  But we don’t have specific, do-able steps to take to get there.  We often deal in generalities.  And we wind up doing nothing.

    It would be much better to select one or two small things we can actually do, then do them, than to dream of great change and never do anything.

    We need to pull the trigger.