Ideals

High standard and principles; values; goals; things to believe in and stand for

Our ideals are our possibilities.  Anonymous

Our ideals are the blueprints of our lives.  Roy L Smith

We never reach our ideals, whether of mental or moral improvement, but the thought of them shows us our deficiencies, and spurs us on to higher and better things. Tyron Edwards 

   Ideals are the building blocks of the principles upon which we build our lives. They represent purposes and values that we choose to believe in; becoming a compass setting on which we can set our sights.

   Ideals provide a basis for measuring where we are against where we wish to be. They provide a cornerstone on which to build a life with meaningful purpose; giving us a vision of the kind of person we wish to become. It is like having a constitution; a statement of what we believe, and how we are going to manage and live our life.

    The more we visualize what it is we believe, the more likely it is we will stay on a course taking us in that direction. Those living by a set of standards are more likely to stay on the path of continued growth and development. Those lacking in ideals are like a compass whose needles have broken off. They have no sense of direction in which to go. Many philosophers have told us we become what it is that we visualize or think about. If we fill our thoughts with things of virtue and high principle, our lives will track toward those things. Having ideals is a form of goal setting that provides us firm footing for living life.

    A person’s ideals are at the very core of the foundation of their life. The stronger we build our foundation the stronger and more resilient each of us will become. Our ideals should be a suit of protective armor that protects us from being pierced by the arrows of doubt, fear, temptation, adversity and life’s miss-adventures. Our ideals serve as a buffer to absorb our undesirable circumstances, helping us to endure them and to grow stronger through them. They give life a sense of purpose and should be more powerful than the moment by moment issues that continuously confront us.

   We get strength from such things as love, truth, honesty, kindness and other values. The more established our ideals are and the more we are led and inspired by them, the stronger we become. Even though our ideals may not be something we can touch, they are the solid ground, and the framework upon which we build and structure our lives. They are at the very center of who we are and what we are becoming.  

Challenge: Your ideals are integral to who you are. If they are poorly defined and vague, then you are missing an important tool that could give your life a more solid foundation. Take time and reflect upon those principles and beliefs that you can commit to. Determine what you stand for. The more clear and determined your sense of purpose, the more energy your life will have. Your life will have more meaning. You may find more joy as well.

Wisdom: The ideals that have lighted my way and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty and Truth.  Albert Einstein

Spiritual: (NIV)

Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.  Isaiah 3:10

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.  1 John 2:17

So many people lack a sense of meaning and purpose. Some chase causes and fads with tremendous zeal. We need something to believe in bigger than we are. Our search will always be in vain until we find God. We are made in God’s image. We have some of him in us. He is our father and we are his children. We cannot be fulfilled until we have him as a part of our life. Until we realize this and return home to him, we search in vain.

Prayer: Help me to become the person you designed me to be.