The second lesson I learned while hiking in Yosemite has to do with Goals. Every person likes achievement. It makes us feel like we accomplished something. If we never lay down any goals, we cannot say that we have achieved something. Maybe marking an item off of your task list, maybe meeting a deadline, maybe finishing a project…we all like accomplishments. In our 5-day journey we set goals for each day. Each day and each goal brought me a new challenge. Each day as I would meet the goal, I could mark my achievements. I can look back and track my progress. Each goal brought me closer to the finishing the journey.
Monday, our goal was to arrive at the park and set up camp for the first night. We had to set up in the rain. Then we needed to make it through the first night. I am not a camper. I don’t like tents. I do like air conditioning, soft beds, and electricity. So I set up, and made it through the first night. Tuesday, our goal was to carry our 35-40 lb backpacks past Vernal Falls, past Nevada Falls, and to our campsite. We traveled about 6 miles and covered 3000 feet of elevation that day. We set up camp and made it through the night with temperatures dipping down to 28 degrees! Wednesday, I had to work through sore muscles. It was tough to stand up from the sleeping bag. The warm fire (thanks Corey for starting it) motivated me to move. Our goal Wednesday was to make it to the top of Half Dome and then back down for the next campsite. I wrote here about that journey. Thursday, more sore muscles and a 7 mile hike to Merced Lake. This was a beautiful hike. It took a long time to get there, but when we arrived we all felt a great sense of accomplishment. Our goal had been met! We hiked 7 miles back to our campsite. On Friday, our goal was to work through more sore muscles and hike the 6 miles back down to Yosemite Valley.
I can look back and know that I achieved many things on this journey. They are easy to identify since there were goals all along the way. In our lives as believers, we should set goals for our selves. We can push towards these goals, and when we reach them…we can rejoice and celebrate. We have a sense of accomplishment and achievement. What goals is He asking you to set?
A Pastor's Thoughts 