What matters to us becomes a top priority, which means it gets our attention, keeps our attention, and we give it our best time and effort. And if it’s that important to us, we consider it worth preparing for, just to make sure it all goes right.

Examples of this abound:

  • Studying for an exam in a course we need to do well in
  • Studying even more for the final exam in that course
  • Studying even more than that for a university entrance exam(!)
  • Getting ready for a date with someone we like
  • Really getting ready for our first date with someone we hope to have a long-term relationship with.
  • Preparing for a job interview
  • Preparing even more for an interview to land our ideal position in our ideal place
  • Planning and packing for a short vacation
  • Thoroughly planning and packing for that dream vacation
  • Carefully planning a party we’re looking forward to
  • Very carefully planning our wedding (while diplomatically refusing to let our relatives and friends take over the plans because they care too!)
  • Hopefully preparing for the marriage following the wedding 🙂
  • Then preparing for parenting in case children are part of the picture
  • Researching for, putting together, and practicing a presentation we’re going to give
  • Doing the above “on steroids” for a presentation we’ve been asked to give to senior leaders(!)
  • Preparing our hearts, minds, and approach for crucial and difficult conversations with those who matter to us.
  • Preparing for any ministry/volunteer work we do for those we care about
  • Eating right, sleeping well, and getting good exercise to maintain our health and prepare for aging
  • Fixing up and decorating a room for a loved one (new baby, elder parent, etc.)
  • …(you get the idea)

Let’s suppose we didn’t prepare. What would happen?

  • Bad grades
  • Unemployment or underemployment (logical result of the above)
  • Rejection
  • A vacation gone so bad we’d feel like we need another vacation from it
  • Bad memories from a party (worse yet a wedding) we couldn’t forget for the wrong reasons
  • Divorce
  • No clue how to raise kids, so they and raising them becomes a nightmare
  • Public failure
  • Getting fired
  • People won’t receive the ministry, care, and encouragement they need
  • Broken relationships
  • All kinds of health problems and diseases, and more so as we get older
  • No place for the person to stay and call their own
  • …(you get the idea)

With all the rewards for preparation and all the unpleasant outcomes from lack of it, the only logical conclusion is to prepare if we care. Otherwise people will assume we don’t care about ourselves, our future, our relationships, our health, etc.

So how can we prepare for that about which we (should) care?

P ray – Get connected to our unlimited Source of knowledge, power, and love to access the infinite resources of all of these—goes way beyond anything we can muster on our own.

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Prov. 16:3

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

R esearch—Find out all we need to know about whatever we need to accomplish, what we’re getting into, who we’re about to meet or meet with, where we hope to go, etc.

“Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.” Prov. 19:2

E xamine – Honestly assess and evaluate ourselves to determine where and what we lack in necessary skills and knowledge. Then search our hearts to determine our attitudes and decide what and how we need to change, so we get it right.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Ps. 139:23-24

P urpose – Ask ourselves– Why are we doing this? What’s our motive? What’s our “for the sake of”? If we don’t have a good reason or even any reason, we’ll either quit, fail, or wish we hadn’t done it even if we succeed. We need at least one good, strong, “for the sake of…” vision to keep going in the face of opposition, obstacles, and adversity. And if our intent is evil or selfish, even though we may “win” in the short term, we’ll lose what matters in the long term—relationships, reputation, peace, etc.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Mat. 6:33

A sk for help—It’s no shame to admit we can’t do it all. In fact, that’s humility and wisdom—knowing what we lack in skill and knowledge and who to ask that has it. Not only will we achieve the results we’re hoping for, we’ll have people to celebrate with, making the win and enjoyment that much greater.

“Where there is no [wise, intelligent] guidance, the people fall [and go off course like a ship without a helm], But in the abundance of [wise and godly] counselors there is victory.” Prov. 11:14 (AMP)

R ealize/remember the importance of the outcome – this goes along with purpose, and gives us that sense of urgency and conviction we need to get it done. For example, “If I don’t prep this roofing (project) properly, our roof will leak. If our roof leaks, our floor, furniture, electronics, appliances, heads, etc. will get wet, causing major damage and discomfort.” We can also think of this as “negative motivation”, or pain-avoidance.

E ndeavor – Preparation takes work. Anything we want to accomplish well means putting in effort. It doesn’t just happen on its own. Even when we get help from the Lord and others, we still need to do our part to the best of our ability. As Dallas Willard has pointed out, “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action.”

The people that others trust, can count on, appreciate, want to be with and follow, are people who care. And those who care, prepare.