Write down your answers to these questions in your notebook, and bring them to the discussion time.

Notebook Questions:

What do you really want in life?

What one thing would disappoint you if you did not achieve it?

What do your parents want for you to achieve?

How would they define success for you?

What do you think would disappoint them if you didn’t accomplish or who you would become or develop into as a person?

We will always have competing wants and desires that may distract us from focus on important goals we may have started with, but I think it is good to remind ourselves often what is really essential so we don’t miss out on what is truly most important in our lives. Think about who you really want to be as a person. Think about where your motivation comes from for this goal.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.”

-1 Timothy 6:6-9 (NIV)

Be content with simplicity and focus.

I think it is great to have ambitious goals for your education, career, and your future relationships, but what if you achieved them all but forgot to prioritize a right relationship with God? What if you compromised your integrity and lost the protection of God’s promises. If you neglect the most important things you will regret it later in life, or after life is over.

I often list my goals and put them in order, so that if the items at the bottom of the list couldn’t get done, I would not regret not having them higher up on the list. If I could choose to achieve only one item, it should be on the top of the list.

Have you ever realized that you needed to get something done, but lost track of time doing something less important? Share your experience with the group if you are willing.

-Ezra