It’s time to reorganize. Start over. Begin again. Use a fresh approach, a new strategy. When you are discouraged, it’s probably not that you are doing the wrong thing, but you might be doing it in the wrong way. Our natural temptation is to give up on our dream. We think, “Maybe God didn’t give me this dream in the first place.” No, it’s probably just the opposite. However, it might be time to expand your vision and ask God to give you new ways of thinking.

Is it time to try a new approach to the same ministry? Washed up actors and soloists call a new approach ‘reinvention.’ For those who need a facelift for their house, it’s called an ‘’extreme-makeover.’. Have you faced a lot of discouragement? Have numerous problems remained unsolved? Does your workload seem unbelievable? It’s time to reorganize your schedule.  Evaluate things you need to cut out of your ministry. 

Get rid of those things that clutter your life, that are wasting your time. 

Find the twenty percent of the things you have to do and focus on the ones that produce the greatest results.

Is it time to try a new approach to the same ministry?

Nehemiah was in the middle of rebuilding the Jerusalem wall. He saw the need to reorganize to complete the work. Nehemiah 4:13, “Therefore I stationed some people at the low points of the wall and exposed places, posting them by families with their swords and their spears and their bows.”  The key here is, “posting them by families.”  We need a ‘family’ support group. In our workplace, church, even our home-lives, we need a group of co-laborers. We need others we can share with and who will love us unconditionally.  There’s no such thing as Lone Ranger Christianity.

1. Evaluate – You’ve assessed the need to reorganize. Now is the time to do so. Don’t wait until you feel like it because you never will.
2. Examine – You’ve decided what is important. Now take the steps to get to where you want to go.
3. Expect – You’ve invited your ‘family’ to be part of your solution. Now give them their marching orders. You can get there together. Remember we are better together.

“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4:16

Let’s pray,

Father thank You for the opportunity to allow You to reorganize our goals. Let our plans be Your plans. Let our desires be Your desires. Let us evaluate, examine and expect You to make things happen. Thank You for the body of Christ, who helps us do Your will. Thank You for encouraging us to begin again. Thank You for giving us another opportunity to plan to succeed. For Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

This article originally appeared online at Lead Like Jesus on 5/23/19 https://www.leadlikejesus.com/blog/plan-succeed