The Power of Thinking Ahead

As we get ready to embark on a new year, I bet you are already thinking about what you will do next year whether it be traveling more, saving up, getting in shape, or even prioritizing yourself more. Whatever the case may be, I want you to realize that there is power in thinking ahead.

Breaking Down What It Means

We have heard the saying before that if you fail to plan, then you are indeed planning on failing. Merriam-Webster says that “thinking ahead means to prepare for a future event or situation by thinking about what might happen.” So, in this definition, we see that intentionality is needed because we have to prepare. We also see that prioritizing time and anticipating some things are needed to prepare for the future. If I had to break this down into a formula, I would say thinking ahead is equivalent to Intentionality + priority + anticipation.

If you have a vision for your life, you must take time to stop and evaluate where you are and what you need to do to get closer to your dreams. The Bible even tells us that faith without works is dead!

Click the link to jump straight to the podcast video to hear a further breakdown of this formula about thinking ahead.

Questions to Ask When You Feel Off-Track

It is easy to allow life to stunt the progress you have been making. If your mind is completely consumed with daily tasks or a new routine, it can make it hard to be intentional and prioritize your dreams, especially in the beginner stages. But if you cannot prioritize what’s before you….it can make it difficult to anticipate what’s next. When this happens, you find yourself feeling hopeless, in a dark place, no longer feeling like you will achieve your dreams.

I have even had to ask myself when I got off track with my podcast due to life’s events. Where do I go from here? How do I get back on track? I believe we all find ourselves at this point. If that is you, I want to ask you a question, what has God shown you? I’m talking about when you go to bed at night and that dream pulls at your mind and heart. What has God shown you? The times when you are at work and your mind reflects on that passion project. When it seems like you cannot escape people asking you to render a service that you are gifted in. What has God shown you?

Have you taken the time to be intentional? Whether it be meditating, seeking God, or maybe even fasting so He can reveal His plans to you? Ask yourself this, what is on the inside of me that is lying dormant that now needs attention so that it can be awakened? Philippians 3:12-14 tells us to forget about the things that are behind us and press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. By pressing towards what is ahead of me, I am beginning to walk into my purpose.

Addressing Distractions and Roadblocks

Let’s go back to the formula, Intentionality + priority + anticipation = purpose.

At this time in your life, you are bringing everything with you that happened this year and in previous years. Whatever is not aligning with what God has shown you, it is time to rid that from your mind. Put it on the back burner. Make up your mind that you are not going to allow that to be a hindrance to deter you from what you are pressing towards. Every time you are trying to walk in your purpose, adversity comes…distractions come…roadblocks come. Steve Harvey said the road to success is always under construction, which means detours and slowdowns will come. All of this can be very frustrating. I want to encourage you to keep pressing forward. You will get stronger and become more resilient towards reaching your goal.

Remember, everything starts in the mind. You have to see it in your mind first so that when obstacles come, it does not easily set you back. Now you cannot prepare for everything that life will throw at you. However, there are some practices you can adopt now. Waking up earlier, watching less TV, or trading going out to focus on your purpose. That goes with the intentionality and priority factors.

Speak What You Are Thinking

The Bible tells us that the power of life and death is in our tongues. I believe that you possess the power needed in you to call forth what is to come. Another definition of anticipate means to forecast or prophesy. I believe you can envision where you want to see yourself and then as you come into agreement with that, one day you shall see it. However, this is only if it is in God’s will for you.

There is power in hearing yourself proclaim something that not just shifts your atmosphere, but causes you to live in that anticipation mode. Think about your daily affirmations. What are you telling yourself? Are you telling yourself good things?

I remember in 2021 when I was going through a little bit of uncertainty. God told me that this time next year, I would be in a different space mentally, physically, and spiritually. It gave me hope and caused me to believe that a shift would occur in my life to move me closer to my purpose.

Anticipation to me is the easy part of the formula. Now yes, anticipation requires faith, right? I have faith that what I have been doing will eventually come to pass. If I am being consistent, then I am looking for the result or a return on my investment because I have put in the work. Intentionality and prioritizing are the hardest parts. Those take more action and discipline.

How to Get Started

So, how do you get started? By answering the question of what has God shown me? What has God told me to do and then you run with it. You make a plan and then set aside the time to execute the plan. Ultimately, you make sacrifices to move closer to what you want. The goal is to not give up so that you can complete the equation and walk in purpose.

Here is your challenge, make a vision board or even revisit a past vision board. I still have a vision board from 2019 that I am working through. You can even just simply write down a plan. The Bible tells us in Habakkuk to write the vision and make it plain, so that he may run who reads it. Set aside some time each week to check that you have done something to move closer to your purpose. You owe it to yourself to do this.

So, I asked you a question earlier, what has God shown you? We often know what we need to do, and it most likely is at our disposal, but putting things in action gets hard. That is why priority and intentionality serve as the foundation to get you to your purpose…the promise.

Do you know that there is power in something else other than just thinking ahead? It’s the power of moving forward in faith. To go from just envisioning it to moving into the space that God has commanded you to. But first, you have to see it in your mind. You have to determine that you are willing to go for the task set before you. Will you allow God to have access to your mind so that He can fill it with the visions he wants you to see?

Now, if you are unable to answer the question I proposed earlier, I would encourage you to simply ask God. The Bible tells us in James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” 

Now, It’s time to activate your strategy for how you are going to tackle your year. God has already gone before you…working it all out; he’s just waiting on you. Remember, faith without works is dead. So, let’s align with God. Feel free to use the formula that I have presented, so you can walk into your purpose.

Believe in yourself; you got this. Don’t allow anyone, not even yourself hold you back from walking into your purpose.

For more encouragement, read our previous blog about Embracing your Season and Go After Your Dreams.

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This article was last updated on December 29, 2024.