It’s not always easy to see where God is leading us.
We know He calls us to live according to His purpose, and He has designed a special plan for each person. Yet, we still might feel lost in the moment, tossed by the waves of our unpredictable lives.
But what if we can be confident in God’s purpose every day?
Mark Batterson writes about these topics and more in his new book, “Win the Day: 7 Daily Habits to Help You Stress Less & Accomplish More.” He is a well-known pastor in Washington, D.C., who is working to help Christians live in a more godly way.
Mark Batterson was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and studied law until he was called into ministry. Now, he writes and speaks about how to live for God and achieve dreams that seem impossible at first. Mark Batterson has written many books and is a New York Times bestselling author in addition to being a pastor.
Mark Batterson’s “Win the Day” tackles productivity and goal setting. His previous books provide rich insights into how to live as Christians in light of eternity. “Win the Day” is meant to share more practical tips.
One takeaway from the book is that it is important to always start with the toughest challenges. Many of us tend to make a task list that includes all the easy things we want to do, the ones that won’t challenge us that much. It’s just human nature.
Mark Batterson goes to great lengths, especially in a chapter called “Eat the Frog,” to explain that doing the hard things first means we will do what matters. We’ll tackle the tasks with the highest priority that make the biggest differences in our lives. And the good news is that everything will be easier the rest of the day.
In another chapter about obstacles, he hints (perhaps in a not-so-subtle way) that obstacles are helpful. We think of them as hardships, but they might be the very things God wants us to deal with in our lives, which then leads to the greatest sense of purpose.
Mark Batterson mentions the author Ryan Holiday, who wrote about the same topics in his book, “The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph,” which came out in 2014.
Released on December 29, 2020, Mark Batterson’s book “Win the Day” is meant to encourage Christians to follow a lifestyle in which we are finally living, and no longer just being blown around by life’s demands.
In a video, Mark Batterson says that our job as Christians is to consecrate ourselves to God. We are called to live in a way that allows God to work through us.
Mark Batterson refers to Joshua 3:5, which says to “‘consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you’” (Joshua 3:5, NIV).
This might sound like a big step, but it starts simply. Day by day, each one of us can follow God’s calling in our lives by pursuing our passions or feeding our gifts.
If we work on growing in these areas, we can prepare ourselves for the good work God has planned for us. Batterson states that we are to “live as if today is the last day and first day of our lives.”
Our individual passions can flourish. Even if we start with a small dream, like knowing Scripture better, Mark Batterson’s “Win the Day” can help us grasp those goals. In Philippians, Paul says something similar: “… I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14, NIV).
We can allow God to change our lives forevermore. He will lead us onto a path of purpose and beauty when we trust Him and His will for our lives.