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Consider Your Ways
Haggai 1:5
"Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways."
Zerubbabel was admonished by God to consider his ways. According to Webster's dictionary, the word "consider" means, "to take into view in examination." In other words, God wanted Zerubbabel to examine what his ways had produced. They had sown their crops, and had little to reap. They earned good wages, but they had no money saved of which they could talk about. God was trying to get them to see that though they worked hard, their sinful ways caused them not to reap the blessings of their work.
Just like God admonished Zerubbabel to consider his ways, you should periodically consider your ways. Many people never want to stop and take the time to look at what their ways have produced. However, you will never be able to improve yourself and what you do until you learn to seriously consider your ways. Let me give you several things you should do when considering your ways.
First, be honest with yourself. Lying to yourself will only hurt you. You can lie to yourself so you can feel better, but that doesn't change what is happening in your life. If a businessman truly wants to improve his business, then he needs to be honest about his assessment of his product and what he is doing. A nation can lie to itself about how well it's doing, but it will not improve itself until it decides to be completely honest with what their ways have produced. Whether you are a pastor, Christian, businessman, etc., you need to be honest when you decide to consider your ways.
Second, look at your actions and the results of those actions. I often tell people that my life is a study of actions and results. Many of my sermons are a result of studying the actions and results of people. When I see that certain actions lead to adverse results, I tell people not to do those actions. However, when I see that certain actions produce favorable results, I will tell people they need to do those actions. When you choose to consider your ways, look at both the actions and results and you will find out if you need to change something.
Third, study the ways of the past. You would be very wise to be a student of successful people. Find out what made them successful and do it. On the other hand, find out the mistakes they made and avoid them. When you find yourself failing in a certain area, copy the successful actions from those in the past, and you will find those actions will produce good results for you as well.
Last, change whatever bad ways you have to ways that have worked. One reason why we should not try new ways is because we don't know where those ways will take us. History teaches you the good and bad. When you see yourself following the same ways of those who were unsuccessful, then change your ways. When you find people who were successful, don't be so filled with pride that you won't follow their ways. Most likely those in history copied someone else also.
Every Christian, pastor, businessman, church and nation should regularly consider their ways. If you don't take time to consider your ways then you are sure to experience failure. If you will take the time to consider your ways, you will limit your failures in life. Take God's admonition to consider your ways so that you can change the areas of your life that need changing.