I was at a loss for what to write about this morning, so I Googled “Inspirational quotes” – and this came up – ‘It’s never too late to be what you might’ve been.” – George Eliot.
That quote bright to mind another quote that I saw, or think I saw, somewhere – “What it was, what it is and what it yet may be.” Perhaps I made that up myself, since nothing comes up when I Googled that.
Many people never get past thinking about what might have been. They get stuck in the present by thinking too much about the past. They don’t imagine a future that is much different than the present. Almost all of the great people of history and the heroes of today report that they all chased their dreams, unsatisfied with what was or is and constantly striving for what could be. Most developed an ability to accept and learn from failures, but never to lose sight to their goals.
Mariners have always reset (or checked) their compasses before setting out to sea, to make sure that they were able to go in the right direction. In life it is a good thing to touch base with and reinforce one’s goals and dreams for the future, to do a quick check of your goals to make sure that what you do today takes you in that direction. We may be pursuing long term goals that could take years to achieve (getting a college degree, for instance, while working full time) and it is easy to lose track of where we are and what we can do today to move towards that goal. Losing track like that causes us to wander off course.
It is also easy to get discouraged about the apparently lack of progress towards achieving those long-term goals. Maybe you just finished the first course or two at a community college and the road ahead towards that degree still looks daunting. Maybe you just finished a shift at your entry level job and can yet see no way to progress up the ladder at work. Perhaps you even got laid off at work and can see no way out of that setback. These are the times when your faith should kick in and you may hear God whisper George Eliot’s quote back in response to your prayers. Your faith will serve to bolster your resolve and perseverance.
So, as you take that moment to check your compass each morning, also check in with God. With the direction to your hopes and dreams refocused and with God at your side, you will be ready to face each day and to make some progress, no matter how small, towards those dreams. “What it was” is in the past, “what it is” provides today’s challenges that you will overcome and “what it yet may be” is still within reach.
Start each day with Philippians 4:13 in mind – “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Go for it today. You have God at your side and your goals firmly in mind.
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