Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Think Ahead Workbook: The Power of Pre-Deciding for a Better Life
    Think Ahead Workbook: The Power of Pre-Deciding for a Better Life
    Think Ahead Workbook: The Power of Pre-Deciding for a Better Life
    Ebook193 pages2 hours

    Think Ahead Workbook: The Power of Pre-Deciding for a Better Life

    By Craig Groeschel

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    The Quality of Our Decisions Determines the Quality of Our Lives.

    Why is it so hard to make good choices and avoid decision-making that we later regret? What happens between our good intentions and the choices we actually make in the moment? Is there a reliable way to break the cycle and make wiser decisions?

    In the Think Ahead Workbook (which accompanies the Think Ahead book), Craig Groeschel draws profound connections between the truths of Scripture and the latest research in human behavioral psychology to help you unlock the power of "pre-deciding." Learn how to position yourself to make the choices you really want to make and avoid the missteps and bad decisions.

    Key Takeaways from this Workbook:

    • Learn the science behind many of our decision-making habits.
    • Discover how our small choices shape the kind of people we become.
    • Take practical steps to combat decision fatigue.
    • Develop the ability to diminish the role of emotions in decision-making.

     

    Are you ready to make God-honoring decisions and live the life you really want to live? This official workbook will provide you with a clear biblical path on how to get there and think ahead.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZondervan
    Release dateFeb 20, 2024
    ISBN9780310166184
    Think Ahead Workbook: The Power of Pre-Deciding for a Better Life
    Author

    Craig Groeschel

    New York Times bestselling author Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of Life.Church, which created the free YouVersion Bible app and is one of the largest churches in the world. He has written nineteen books and hosts the top-ranking Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast. As a widely respected leader in the Church, Craig speaks frequently at leadership events and conferences worldwide. Craig and his wife, Amy, live in Oklahoma. Connect with Craig at www.craiggroeschel.com.

    Read more from Craig Groeschel

    Related to Think Ahead Workbook

    Related ebooks

    Christianity For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Craig Groeschel

      Feb 11, 2022

      Craig Groeschel
      2 min read

    • Article

      Ask Val

      Sep 23, 2022

      Ask Val
      2 min read

    • Article

      Harvest Bible Chapel Senior Pastor James MacDonald Has Been Fired From The Church He Founded

      Feb 13, 2019

      CHICAGO - James MacDonald, the senior pastor and founding member of Harvest Bible Chapel, has been fired, the church announced early Wednesday morning. The announcement comes nearly one month after church elders said MacDonald, a popular preacher who

      8 min read

    • Article

      The Kingdom In The Marketplace

      Apr 13, 2020

      There are so many Christians in the marketplace who remain hidden or silent, despite so much teaching available from the church, internet, TV, and other media. Why are these believers and their faith so hidden? Here are a few pointers to assist you i

      1 min read

    • Article

      Joy! News

      Sep 29, 2023

      Joy! News
      6 min read

    • Article

      Monday, July 17

      Jun 16, 2023

      A FRIEND AND I WERE deeply engaged in conversation when she attempted to knock on wood. The only trouble was, we stood in front of our hundred-year-old church, which was built out of handhewn stone. It's funny how this ancient superstition of touchin

      1 min read

    • Article

      Pastors Need A Firm BIBLICAL FOUNDATION

      Dec 30, 2019

      The Gospel is the most powerful force on this earth. The transformative power of the Cross changes lives around the world daily. If the Gospel is not changing hearts, then it is not the full Gospel that is being preached. In Africa today we see a num

      4 min read

    • Article

      New You, Same God

      Nov 26, 2022

      New You, Same God
      1 min read

    • Article

      Sunday, January 27

      Dec 14, 2018

      YEARS AGO, I WAS AT one of the lowest points of my life, weighed down by family and personal problems. Prayer support from friends kept me going, but I felt so useless, unfit for ministry—like I had nothing to offer anyone. During the three-hour driv

      1 min read

    • Article

      Ask Val

      Mar 18, 2022

      Ask Val
      2 min read

    • Article

      EXCELLENCE IN MARRIAGE Creating Pleasurable Moments of Joy!

      Apr 13, 2020

      Many couples would put a lot of time into planning their wedding to make sure that they have the best and most unique public display of a fairy tale romance as possible. They will do whatever it takes and end up spending thousands of Rands on their w

      1 min read

    • Article

      Uninterrupted Employment

      Oct 16, 2019

      Sometimes the prospects for finding a job can look bleak. But under God’s guidance we can discover, nurture, and express our God-given talents in ways that benefit others as well as ourselves.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Your Real Christmas List

      Nov 22, 2022

      We’ve looked in huge detail, here, about how to make this a calmer, happier, less stressful Christmas – so now it’s up to you! Instead of making endless lists about what you need to buy for everyone this year, or the food you need to stock the cupboa

      1 min read

    • Article

      Are Family Devotions Important?

      Mar 16, 2020

      Family devotions are a set time when husband and wife, or parents and kids, sit down, read the Bible, and pray together. It is a time designed to build up each individual and establish a sense of unity and direction within families. Being intentional

      2 min read

    • Article

      Work is Worship

      Dec 30, 2019

      Work is Worship
      1 min read

    • Article

      Sunday, February 17

      Dec 14, 2018

      RECENTLY, A PASTOR REMINDED ME of something. Sunday morning at eleven o’clock is the most segregated hour of the week. I took some time to think about that. I didn’t grow up in the church and didn’t come to know Christ until my early adulthood. But w

      1 min read

    • Article

      Mark Batterson

      Jul 30, 2021

      Mark Batterson
      2 min read

    • Article

      Rooted In God’s Love

      Feb 10, 2023

      Rooted In God’s Love
      5 min read

    • Article

      God’s Gift of Rest

      Sep 23, 2022

      God’s Gift of Rest
      3 min read

    • Article

      A Matter of Trust

      Mar 27, 2020

      A Matter of Trust
      6 min read

    • Article

      The List

      Jul 30, 2021

      The List
      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Think Ahead Workbook

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Think Ahead Workbook - Craig Groeschel

      INTRODUCTION

      Today’s decisions determine who we become tomorrow.

      Whether we like it or not, our lives become the sum of the daily decisions we make. Sure, some of our big decisions seem like more obvious turning points or forks in the road toward the direction our lives take. But before we face those apparently life-changing choices, we have made thousands, perhaps millions, of small, seemingly mundane and inconsequential choices that have brought us to those big decisions.

      Each of our smallest decisions, from what to eat for breakfast (or whether to eat breakfast) to how we will get to work to when we will binge-watch the next season of our favorite show, shapes us into who we are. Basically, every choice you make as well as the ones you choose not to make casts a vote toward who and what controls your life. Enjoying a fruitful, successful life is not based on a few big decisions—whether to marry, where to live, which job to take—as much as it’s built on the sculpture chiseled by the small cuts and chips made by your daily choices.

      Knowing the impact of all our choices reinforces the importance of looking ahead and considering the consequences. When we think ahead, we can envision the way our choices begin to align and form patterns that reveal who we’re becoming. Thinking ahead, we glimpse the way our good decisions have a compound benefit on our lives even as our bad decisions send us down a dead-end street.

      Just consider a bad decision you’ve made. You probably didn’t plan for it to become a launching pad for other bad decisions, but sometimes we land on a slippery slope where we try to regain lost ground only to discover we’re even further from where we want to be. Suddenly, your decision to give in to temptation and allow an exception just this once becomes something you do again. And then again. And suddenly it becomes a habit spreading collateral damage in your life. What started as a splurge or one-time indulgence leads to an unhealthy habit or addiction that results in hiding it and lying about it to others. One bad choice permitted you to make others until suddenly they’ve multiplied and forced you to face their painful consequences.

      On the other hand, one good decision often begets the next good decision. You experience the power of creating a pattern that’s healthy, constructive, and positive. You find it easier to resist making bad decisions because you don’t want to undo the progress you’ve made or stop enjoying the benefits of your good choices. Soon you’re thinking less about which choice to make because you’ve already decided how to keep your momentum in this powerful, positive direction.

      So, based on where you are right now, do you like where your decisions are taking you? Do you feel good about who you are and where you are in life? Do you believe God is pleased with your current direction?

      Regardless of where you are, you probably would like to either change the way you’ve been making decisions in your life or continue making good choices in a more consistent, intentional way. And that’s what this workbook is all about. To enhance your reading and application of Think Ahead, this guide can help you personalize and prioritize your new method of making decisions. Knowing you will decide now what you will do later can become a profound spiritual tool for reordering your life in a way that pleases and glorifies God and allows you to enjoy becoming who you were meant to be.

      Deciding ahead of time what you will do is not as simple, of course, as it sounds. Among the numerous obstacles and challenges that get in our way, three stand out: being overwhelmed by options and possible outcomes; being afraid to make wrong choices with uncertain outcomes; and allowing emotions to interfere with your logic and clarity. These can be overcome, though, by owning and implementing seven life-defining pre-decisions that provide a foundation for success:

      1. I will be ready.

      2. I will be devoted.

      3. I will be faithful.

      4. I will be an influencer.

      5. I will be generous.

      6. I will be consistent.

      7. I will be a finisher.

      Are you ready to choose who you will become?

      To live the life you want to live?

      To enjoy peace, passion, and purpose as you honor God?

      Then it’s time to reconsider how you make decisions.

      No matter your circumstances, your age, or your stage of life, it’s not too late to change course and choose your life’s direction. The quality of your decisions will determine the quality of your life. The choices you make today will determine the story you tell tomorrow.

      You will never fall behind where you want to be if you’re willing to think ahead!

      PART 1

      I WILL BE READY

      No one deliberately plans on making careless, impulsive decisions that lead to pain, injury, disappointment, shame, and broken relationships. But when you fail to prepare for how to defend your weaknesses and overcome temptation ahead of time, you set yourself up to fail. You must be prepared when temptations come knocking. As you begin preparing for future temptations, you can choose to eliminate many of them by deciding right now how to remove yourself from the front line of battle. By pre-deciding that you will be ready, you prepare for victory with a firm foundation of truth. Here are the key principles you will learn in part 1:

      • No one plans to mess up their life—but they also don’t plan not to.

      • It is not a sin to be tempted; it becomes a sin when you decide to act on temptation.

      • By pre-deciding to be ready when you face temptation, you take a stand against the enemy.

      • You tend to think you’re stronger and can handle more than you actually can.

      • Making up your mind how to respond before the moment of temptation arrives helps you move the line between you and what tempts you.

      • You have the power to resist future temptations by choosing to eliminate them right now.

      • Boundaries based on God’s guidelines are not limiting—they’re freeing.

      LESSON 1

      MOVE THE LINE

      Instead of being unwise, unaware, and unalert, we are making up our minds to be ready for the moment of temptation. We are pre-deciding to move the line.¹

      CRAIG GROESCHEL

      Erica Calderon, a thirty-something mother of two young daughters in Phoenix, lost eighty-five pounds by moving the line in two strategic areas of temptation.² She realized that coming home at the end of a long day left her tired and hungry and willing to eat whatever was available. So she began doing herself a favor by planning and cooking dinner ahead of time. Throwing together a nutritious meal left to simmer in a slow cooker all day, Erica knew she had something healthy and delicious already waiting for her. She moved the line of satisfying her appetite with fast food or whatever was available by making sure something better was ready.

      Erica’s other method of moving the line was to not watch television in her kitchen. Sometimes, I’ll go upstairs to watch my shows instead of sitting in the living room, which is attached to the kitchen. That way, I’m less likely to scavenge. Erica knew that adding distance would make it less likely for her to stop her television viewing and start snacking.³

      Sounds like an obvious, commonsense approach, right? Nonetheless, whether with healthy eating or other lifestyle choices, we often fail to anticipate where the line between a good choice and a less-than-good choice falls. So, we end up feeling our way toward that boundary, often going over the line and wondering why we couldn’t stop ourselves.

      When we’re drawn to something or someone, we often ignore the line until it’s too late. We see how close we can dance on the edge between wrong and right. We know we don’t want to yield to temptation, but we skate along the border, assuming we can control ourselves and rely on willpower to pull us back. Rarely, however, do we find the strength to resist. Instead, we must learn to move the line so that we can keep a healthy distance between ourselves and what tempts us.

      • How do Erica’s strategies for healthier eating habits strike you? Can you relate to her way of anticipating her needs ahead of time to provide better options?

      [Your Response Here]

      • When have you wanted to change a habit or pattern of behavior in your life most recently? What choices did you make to help you attain your goal?

      [Your Response Here]

      • How difficult is it for you to look ahead at the consequences of your choices and work your way back to the decision right in front of you? What complicates your ability to see the connection between present decisions and future success?

      [Your Response Here]

      • When have you moved a line by anticipating your threshold of temptation and intentionally distanced yourself? Did this help you resist temptation?

      [Your Response Here]

      EXPLORING GOD’S WORD

      As you explore how to make better choices by pre-deciding, you will find it helpful to consider your usual decision-making process and the default ways you often respond to stress, tension, conflict, and temptation. You know you want to make good choices that honor God, help you grow, and contribute to your overall physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Knowing what you should do, however, is rarely the issue. Instead of focusing simply on what you know would be good for you, it’s helpful to identify what interferes with your ability to act on what you know.

      Three of the most powerful categories blocking your ability to think ahead and make good decisions include feeling overwhelmed by too many options, yielding to fear about making bad choices that result in painful consequences, and allowing other emotions to disrupt your decision-making ability. Knowing how these obstacles get in your way allows you to strategize ways to think ahead and remove them before you’re in the heat of the what-do-I-do moment.

      We will explore each of these three barriers and how to overcome them in more detail, but before your deep dive into decision-making, allow yourself to take a deep breath, calm your mind, and still yourself before God. He knows your heart better than you do and wants to help you grow and be the divine image-bearer he created you to be. Inviting his presence into your process makes a huge difference in your perspective and attitude. With this goal in mind, make the words of the psalmist your prayer:

      ¹ You have searched me, LORD,

      and you know me.

      ² You know when I sit and when I rise;

      you perceive my thoughts from afar.

      ³ You discern my going out and my lying down;

      you are

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1