Next week marks the beginning of the school year for the vast majority of Oregon students. The day after Labor Day marks the start, and for 180 days, or the better part of 9 months, the students are working toward the standards set forth by the State of Oregon to be able to demonstrate their proficiency in those standards.

Unfortunately, the system has become such that even if you don't demonstrate those proficiencies, you are advanced to the next grade level, which is another topic for another day, but the original idea was that there was a set of standards that were established for students at each level, and it was decided what a 4th Grader, or 9th Grader should be able to do, and the teachers worked toward teaching the students those skills.

One of the first things that are typically done in many of those classrooms aside from introductions and establishing the rules of the classroom and the responsibilities of the students, is the setting of goals for the year. 

This is an incredibly important aspect of the year for the students, because it is the setting of those goals, and the accountability that comes with them that will typically drive a student forward to success in a classroom over those students who do not hold themselves or their friends accountable for their goals.

Granted we're not students of the public school system, but we are disciples of Jesus Christ. We are students of our Lord and Savior. We learn from Him and His teachings, we work to implement them in our lives, and we are consistently being tested... and if you're anything like me, often find that you have some work to do in order to reach the expectations that Christ holds us to.

But without goals, without a set idea of where and what we want to do, we just spin our wheels.

Have you considered your spiritual goals lately? Both long-term and short-term? Have you thought about the things that you hope to achieve spiritually over the next year? Whether it is a particular sin that you plan to overcome, perhaps an attitude that you wish to change, or even something more tangible like reading through the whole bible, or doing in depth studies on specific books.

These things won't become reality if you don't make them real. If you don't take the time to analyze and decide what you want to get from this coming "school" year, you may find yourself in the exact same place next year - hoping to overcome that particular sin, wishing to change that attitude, wishing to read through the bible, or hoping to do that in-depth study.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 says that whatever our hand finds to do, do it with all of our might. Can we say we're doing our spiritual life with all of our might? That we're pouring ourselves into it? Really driving ourselves and forging forward toward our goals? 

If not, take the opportunity this next week to analyze things and set some goals for yourself to help drive you forward.

Have a Happy Sabbath!

Ben