Exposition

Paul the Apostle calls on his readers to examine their faith to be sure of the stands. The Message Bible says in the verse five, “… Give yourselves regular check-ups, if you fail the test do something about it.” You need to assess how grounded you are in Christ. How effective have you been in the communication of your faith, prayer and to the study of the word?

Self-assessment is not only rewarding in our faith but all other facets of life also: family, work, communities, ministry, and education among others.

As part of your evaluation of the year, you may write down your areas of strength and weakness, list your accomplishments, and identify areas that need improvement. You may then set SMART goals for the coming year. These goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. It is also essential to have an action plan based on the goals.

Benefits that come with planning your year include having a proactive approach for controlling your schedules instead of allowing them to control you. It also helps you to prioritize your activities based on their importance. Do you want to learn a trade, start a business, and begin something new?

Begin planning now. Not having a clear plan for your year puts you at risk of failure, and it also brings you a great deal of wastage. Why not avoid that by planning?