This is the final part of a 4-part series written by Mike Furmanski about making a fresh start with a change in our mission. Click the buttons below to read other parts of the series.
Adapt and Overcome
No plan survives first contact with the enemy. We knew that in the military, and it's true in life.
You're going to hit obstacles. You're going to have setbacks. You're going to fail on some days. The question isn't if—it's how you'll respond when it happens.
In aviation, when something went wrong, we didn't abort unless absolutely necessary. We adapted. We problem-solved. We overcame. We kept flying.
Proverbs 24:16 says, "For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes."
The righteous aren't people who never fall. They're people who get back up.
You're going to miss days at the gym. You're going to blow the budget one month. You're going to lose your temper with your kids. You're going to skip your quiet time. You're going to fall back into old patterns.
Here's what matters: do you stay down, or do you get back up?
One setback isn't mission failure. It's just a setback. Acknowledge it, learn from it, adjust your approach, and keep moving forward.
The Real Mission
Here's what I've learned after all these years: the mission isn't really about losing weight or reading more or getting out of debt. Those are good things, but they're not the ultimate thing.
The ultimate mission is this: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30).
Everything else is secondary. Every goal, every objective, every change you want to make should flow from this primary mission: knowing God more deeply and loving Him more fully.
If your New Year's goals aren't connected to that mission, they're just self-improvement projects. And self-improvement without God is just polishing the brass on a sinking ship.
But when your objectives are rooted in your relationship with Christ—when you pursue health so you can serve Him longer, when you pursue financial freedom so you can give more generously, when you pursue reconciliation because God reconciled you to Himself—then you're not just making resolutions. You're living on mission.
After Action Review
So here's my challenge as we start this new year:
- Define your mission. Get specific about what God is calling you to.
- Count the cost. Be honest about what it will require.
- Identify your threats. Know what will try to stop you.
- Build your team. Don't try to do this alone.
- Execute daily. Focus on today's obedience, not tomorrow's perfection.
- Adapt and overcome. Get back up when you fall.
- Remember the real mission. It's all about loving God and being transformed into the image of Christ.
The calendar turned. That's good. It's a reminder that God's mercies are new. But don't waste this fresh start on shallow resolutions that'll be forgotten by February.
Set a mission that matters. One that requires faith. One that scares you a little because you know you can't do it on your own. One that will push you closer to Jesus because you'll need Him every single day.
And then fly the mission. One day at a time. One decision at a time. One step of obedience at a time.
Because here's the truth: you don't need a new year to start fresh. You need a new heart. And God's already promised to give you that (Ezekiel 36:26).
The question is: What are you going to do with it?
Written By: Mike Furmanski
Michael Furmanski is a combat veteran who served with the 160th SOAR and later as a defense contractor. After nearly 7 total years in combat zones, he now serves as a pastoral counselor specifically for veterans. He is a business owner and He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree with a focus on pastoral counseling and veteran ministry.
