Yet He often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.
—Luke 5:16 (HCSB)
When the lacrosse game was on the line and our team needed a goal, I went to my go-to move: the inside roll dodge. It was the move I practiced thousands of times and executed in competition with great success.
Coaches, teams and players know all about go-to moves and how they can impact a game. A player with a signature go-to move is a gamechanger. A go-to move is so effective, even if the player told you ahead of time that they were going to use it, you would still have no chance of stopping them. Every athlete has a go-to move. If this is true for the sports world, I believe it is especially true for the spiritual world. What is your go-to move that allows you to be your best for Christ?
My friend and leadership expert Dan Webster shared three spiritual go-to moves with me. These moves can help you maximize your impact for Christ.
1. Go-To Place
Where do you go every day to connect with God? My go-to place is the desk my grandfather gave me when I was in college. Thousands of times, the desk has been my place of refuge where I worship God daily through prayer, reading and writing. The desk has become my spiritual gym where I work out with God. When I sweat out the disciplines, I am reminded of what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:10: “Not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” Where and when we engage God is essential to a vibrant, overflowing walk with Christ. In Mathew 6:6, Jesus says, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” Different translations use closet, inner room, or private room. Where is your go-to place? Find one. And get there every day. It will change your life.
2. Go-To Passage
What section of God’s Word is giving you the greatest comfort and hope? In this season of life, what passage or verse is giving you direction and guidance? What verses are reviving your soul? We all need a fresh, current go-to passage to dig into. I am not talking about your daily devotional reading. I’m talking about one passage that you keep coming back to because it speaks to you and resonates with your heart. Job 17:9 has been my go-to verse for the past month: “The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.” What verses do you chew on daily? A go-to passage can be the same for a week, a month or a year. In Colossians 3:16, Paul encourages us, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” What passage gives you daily encouragement and nourishment? Find a go-to passage that brings you life.
3. Go-To Person
Who is your go-to person? Everybody needs at least one. This is a person you can call at 3 a.m. and they will show up at your doorstep. Isolation is the Christian’s silent enemy; however, key relationships can stop the sin of isolation. So many people I know have gone down in flames because they did not have someone to do life with. Chuck Swindoll wrote, “Accountability includes opening one's life to a few carefully selected, trusted, loyal confidants who speak the truth—who have the right to examine, to question, to appraise, and to give counsel.”
In Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, Solomon reminds us why we all need a go-to person: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” My 30-year friend Jimmy Page is my person. Who is your go-to person? If you don’t have one, find one immediately! They can literally save you from disaster and sharpen you for greater impact. And most likely, you can do the same for them!
When we have a go-to place, passage and person, we are putting ourselves in the best possible position to be used by God in a powerful way. Allow these three spiritual go-to moves to impact your life … and others!
Father, I realize You want the very best for me, because of Your bottomless, unconditional love. In response to Your great love, I desire to put these three spiritual go-to moves in place. Show me the place You want to meet with me daily; for the passage that will give me direction and hope for this current season; and for the right person who I can do life with. In Jesus’ name. Amen.