Lesson 5. Recognizing What Matters Most and Having a Goal

Every day we receive a great deal of information on many different subjects, and our brain tries to process it all, analyze it, draw conclusions, and convey to our consciousness the meaning of what we have heard. The information we receive begins to influence my heart, and a full heart gives a command to the mouth, so I begin telling everyone what I have filled myself with. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

In the spiritual world, an unceasing struggle is taking place for possession of the human mind. Two supernatural powers are in constant opposition. My mind is under continual attack, and I decide what I will feed it.

Whatever I think about most—whatever fills my heart—becomes most important to me.

Something new continually enters my life and begins to change my consciousness and adapt it to the situation that has developed. And I must decide what to do.

Jesus gave timeless and perfectly appropriate counsel to those who are troubled by various problems and whose hearts seek an answer to the question of what they should do. We read in the Gospel of Matthew: “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:31–34).

Amid this abundance of information, I have the opportunity to choose what I consider important, to fill my heart with it, and to make it the principal direction in which my thoughts and feelings move.

I am aware of what is happening in the world, and in the light of the Bible I see that many signs of the times point to the soon Coming of Jesus.

It is like traveling toward a particular destination and reading road signs that tell you the destination is drawing nearer and nearer. Meanwhile, various billboards urge you to stop, turn aside, and accept what they claim is more important. How fortunate are those who have a navigation system in the car that is set to the final destination and shows the best route from any location. If I make a wrong turn, the navigator does not scold me. It recalculates the route and offers to return me to the previous road, or it finds a new road by which I can reach the destination I have chosen. No matter how far away I may travel, the navigator tries to find a way out of every situation for me.

If I enter the wrong destination, then no matter how correctly and obediently I drive, I will arrive exactly where I indicated, even though the road signs may tell me that I am moving in a completely different direction.

Once I needed to reach an unfamiliar city, and I knew the general direction in which it lay. At that time there were no navigation systems or mobile phones. I had only a road map. I traveled along an unfamiliar road, relying upon intuition and my sense of direction, and I was certain that I was traveling correctly until I encountered a sign telling me that I was moving in the opposite direction, even though my feelings told me otherwise. Nevertheless, I decided to obey the sign and change my route. To my surprise, I reached my destination very quickly. This taught me to trust the signs.

I have been given the Bible, the sure Word of God, as a road sign that shows me the best way to the final destination. If I follow its directions, I will certainly reach the goal established by God. The Holy Spirit, like a navigator, shows me the best route, using the Bible, spiritual literature, or other children of God with whom I have surrounded myself. My will makes the choice and, like an automobile, carries me toward the goal.

The enemy of souls offers me a completely different direction and desires either to stop me or to break down my vehicle so that I will go nowhere.

Love is the goal of my spiritual growth and personal development. If I set my heart upon reaching this goal and make it the main goal, I can clearly see what distracts me and can quickly sift out what is less important and leads me aside. My Heavenly Navigator continually points out the best way, but I myself must decide how I will proceed.

The closer I come to the goal, the more clearly and fully I understand the advantage of reaching it. The path becomes more difficult, but the goal is seen more clearly. Its influence absorbs my whole being, and I joyfully desire to reach it.

I see that the most important thing in my life is to know God and Jesus Whom He sent, to know God’s love and receive it into my heart, to become like Jesus in love and in trust in God’s words and promises. I choose this route and make it the main one.

What is now distracting me from reaching the main goal? When I hear the call to learn love, what does the world offer me in exchange? What do I discuss with my friends and acquaintances? What fills my heart to overflowing?

A war is being waged for my mind. I decide whom to listen to and where to go. During a crisis, Jesus remains the same loving Friend Who desires to help me understand what matters most, just as He was during favorable times. His blood has not lost its power to save and cleanse from the dominion of sin. Yet I alone decide what is most important to me. Information from outside may distract me from the main thing, but you and I must choose the final destination, my friend.

My radio receiver will pick up the signals to which it is tuned. Which navigator will I choose for myself?

Friends, a war is now being waged to make the events taking place in the world the most important thing to me. Will I drift with the current of this world, or will I choose another goal and regard it as most important?

I choose love and decide to attain it. What will you choose?

Please read Matthew 6:31; John 13:34–38; Psalm 119:105; Philippians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 9:25–27; 1 John 3:11; 4:21; Psalm 91:15; Romans 13:8; and John 21:15 in the light of our lesson.
What is the main thought of the lesson?
Read John 13:36–38. Why did Peter answer in this way? Whom does this remind you of?
What is most important in your life? Please share.
Why is it important to set a goal and follow it?