Why You Need Help to Clarify Your Goals

Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success. Proverbs 15:22 NLT

Clearly articulating your goals can require perseverance. There may be times when everything just flows out. The path is clear. You know what the goal is and you write it out, post it somewhere to remind yourself and smile. You know where you are going and are confident you will get there.

Other times, it takes longer to pin down exactly what the goal is. The way is not as clear, and you don’t know how to get what you are thinking down on paper. Sometimes you have to persevere to get the clarity that helps you follow through on accomplishing the goals you set. It can be hard to express what you feel is the right goal. You have to persevere to get to it. Perseverance is often God’s character-building tool.

What do you do then? How do you write out your goals if you can’t clearly put it into words?

That’s when you need help. Articulating your goal may requires others. You don’t need to do this on your own.

You need time.  It’s nice when everything seems to flow out. If you are like me, when you hear other people talk about those easy moments and declare getting it all on paper in ten minutes as proof that God is in the plan, you question yourself. Why is it so hard for me to express this? Is this really God?

Give yourself time. Clarity comes with time. Focus comes as you better understand yourself, your situation, and God’s purpose for you. Give yourself time to let that knowing settle in. Sometimes God allows the struggle. Like the butterfly working its way out of the cocoon, the struggle builds strength and prepares you to fly. Just as reading these words may help you gain a different perspective; you need other people to help you see clearly.

You need the perspective of people you trust. God has not designed us to function independently. Yes, He has created us as unique individuals. But as individuals who are dependent on each other. You need the perspective of those you trust to help you fully articulate what God has put inside you.

The people you trust most are the people who can help you best articulate what God is saying to you about your goals. They are the people who know you best.

It is a risk to share your heart with anyone, even those closest to you. There is a risk of being hurt by truthful comments. They may point out places you need to adjust. But when you know that someone wants the best for you, the pain of truth carries the peace of knowing you are loved. That’s a risk worth taking. And that risk may be exactly what you need.

You need the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Asking may be the first step in setting goals, but asking continues throughout the process of aiming toward your goals. Don’t forget to keep God included. Trust that the Holy Spirit will speak to you and guide you.

Keep asking God as you ask others. Ask Him to send you the right people. Ask Him to confirm His call through the Scriptures and circumstances. Ask Him to give you the right words so that you can confidently obey Him in the goals you set.

Dear friend, give yourself grace when articulating your goals is difficult. You need time to develop clarity. You need the perspective of people you trust. And you will continue to need the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The process is going to be worth it. You will clearly articulate your goals. With clarity comes confidence. That confidence is coming!

 Key Question: Why do you need help to craft the right goals?

A Scripture to Consider: Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success. Proverbs 15:22 NLT

A YES Challenge: If you are struggling to articulate your goals, set aside time to put something down on paper. Identify one or two people you trust and invite them into the process. Share what you have written with them and invite their feedback.  

Prayer: Lord, I want to accomplish Your goals for my life. I am not always clear on what those are. Even though I pray and trust the Holy Spirit to guide me I realize I also need the help of others. Show me the right people to include in my goal-setting process. Help me take the risk of trusting them with this important part of my life. I need their help to clearly understand what You are saying to me. Thank You for guiding me through all of this. Amen.

Your Goals. God’s Mission.

“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:16-17 NLT

 As a kid, one of my least favorite school moments was gym class team choosing. Lacking athletic talent, I knew I would be among the last ones chosen. From the beginning I knew I was not wanted. That’s not a good feeling. Can you relate?

But in God’s family it’s different. God chose me to be part of His team, His family. He wants me. And God chose you, too, my friend. He chose you and called you His own. He chose you to love you first. And part of that love is inviting you to join Him in His mission of redeeming lost humanity into relationship with Himself. He chose you to join Him on His team. How exciting is that?

God chose you to love you.  That is the first thing to remember. God chose you and redeemed you to restore your broken relationship with Him. He loves you and wants to pour that love out on you. He wants you to experience that love every day. You fit into His plan of redemption by being redeemed! Let Him show you how much He loves you.

God’s love for you means He wants you to be involved in what He is doing on the earth. He chose you to love you and wants to include you in His plans.

My favorite thing to do is to hang out with my husband. Because I love him I want to be part of his life and what he is doing. I also want him to be part of what I am doing. We support each other by sharing the load. There are times when I come alongside him in a task he has to accomplish, like special work events or home projects.And then, there are times when he comes alongside me in what I am doing. We share the tasks because of our love for each other.  

God wants you to be part of what He is doing because He loves you. You are not just means to an end, or a servant to be ordered around. You are a beloved child that He wants to include in His mission. Join Him!

God’s invitation is about receiving and giving His love, not getting things done. Serving God is not about checking things off a task list. Serving God and joining Him in His mission is about spreading the message of His love. You are part of scattering seed. But it’s more like scattering rose petals. You spread the fragrance of Christ wherever you go. You spread the blanket of His love over those you touch and invite them to come in. Your goals are part of that mission. As you plan what to do, keep that in mind. 

Dear friend, remember that you are chosen by the King of the Universe to be loved and to share His love. Keeping that in mind makes your goals more than just tasks to accomplish. They are filled with meaning, purpose, and joy. Your goals are part of His goals. You are part of His team, His family. That’s a team worth being part of!

 Key Question: How does God want me to join Him in His mission?

A Scripture to Consider: “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:16-17 NLT

A YES Challenge: Prayerfully review some goals you recently set. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you evaluate how they fit into God’s mission of redemption. Adjust them as needed.  

Prayer: Lord, it is so easy to get caught up in making plans. I want to do so much for You. Sometimes I lose track of Your mission to redeem humanity from our broken relationship with You. Help me remember that my goals must fit with Your mission. Show me how You want me to fit in to Your plans and bear fruit that will last. Amen.

Set Goals that Fit in the Big Picture

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” I Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV

 I don’t know about you, but since Jesus broke into my life more than forty years ago, I have wanted to do what pleases Him. Once I realized that surrendering to Him was changing my life for the better I was all in and I’ve never looked back.

Being all in for Jesus means I want every aspect of my life to honor Him. That includes any goals I set. As years have passed, I have realized that my goals need to line up with His goals.What about you?

Because you belong to Him, you are His to fit in to what He wants. Your desires are clues to what He wants, but they can be unreliable. The Spirit is willing but the flesh…well, you know. How do you know which goals fit in with God’s goals? The only way to be clear about what God wants is to get the big picture.

The big picture is God’s plan for the redemption of humanity. Discovering God’s goals means I must be in the Scriptures regularly. So, I’ve been more attentive as I’ve been in the Scriptures to recognize His goals. My conclusion is this: Any goals I set must line up with God’s overarching goal of restoring people to a relationship with Him. His plan for you is always, always, always going to fit into that big picture.

The Bible is one book from beginning to end. One story. I have read the Bible from beginning to end for a number of years now and the more I read, the more clear it becomes. God loves people and wants them to be close to Him, and because we couldn’t figure that out on our own, He took the initiative. He sent Jesus to do what is necessary to restore our broken relationship with Him. That is God’s goal. That ‘s the big picture. Whatever goals I set need to fit into that plan.

God’s plan for you will never be about your personal satisfaction, although that is important to Him. Jesus came so that we can have an abundant, overflowing, satisfying life. (John 10:10) But that is not His primary goal.

His plan never changes. His plan from beginning to end of the Bible is to have a relationship with humanity. From the moment Adam and Eve walked away from that relationship, His plan has been to restore it. Period. That’s what God wants most. To restore lost humanity into relationship with Himself. His plan for you is part of that plan. That also includes your personal fulfillment. He has a way of covering all the bases at once. He’s God. He can do that!

My personal goals must be connected to my relationship with God. Writing a book was a long-held goal. How was that connected to my relationships with God? I believed that He had called me to do it. It took a while, but I am in the final process of going through my editor’s suggested changes. This year I will finally become a published author. If you are interested, click here to join my email list and get notified when The YES Adventure: Transform Your Life with One Word is published.

Obedience to God’s call is part of deepening my relationship with Him. It’s the same for you. Even if you stumble through your obedience as I have, you will deepen your relationship with Him. I can tell you that from experience.

God’s goals for you involve restoring your relationship with Him, but they also involve you in restoring others. Your restored relationship with God is not a one-time deal. It’s continuous. Saying YES to Jesus is just the beginning. That YES restores your connection to God. The process of restoring relationship will continue for the rest of your earthly life.

Part of that process is Him living through you. The more my relationship with God is restored, the more access He has to my life and the more able He is to live through me. As He lives through me and you He will be reaching out to others, drawing them to Himself and restoring every part of their lives. That’s what I hope my book does. How awesome to be a part of that!

Dear Friend, you want to set goals that make a difference in your life and in the world around you. To do that you need to get the big picture. You need to set goals that fit in to God’s goal of restoring His broken relationship with humanity. How awesome and satisfying to be a part of that!

 Key Question: How do I set goals that fit in with God’s goals?

A Scripture to Consider: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” I Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV

A YES Challenge: If you have never read through the Bible, make that a goal for this year to help you get the big picture.

Prayer: Father, thank You for calling me to Yourself. Thank You for making me a part of Your family. Thank You for redeeming my life from the consequences of sin. It’s hard for me to fathom the depths of all that means. Even so, I want to join You in Your goal of redeeming all humanity. Help me to align with Your goal of redemption. Show me how my goals can fit with Your goals. Amen.

Ask: How to Get What You Pray For

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:14-15 NIV

 Do you ever wonder if praying is worthwhile? Do you question if God hears you? I get it! It’s not unusual for believers to question. We wonder why it seems like our prayers aren’t being answered. We wonder if God is listening, or if He is ignoring our prayers. It’s okay to be honest about your questions. Honesty is the place to begin to move forward.

I often hear those questions in my mind, but I have decided not to pay much attention. I have been through the struggling but have come to the conclusion that I can trust God’s character and His word. If I believe He is good, then I can trust Him to answer in His way and His time. If I believe His word is true, then He has given you and me a guideline for how to pray and get what we pray for. Here it is:

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:14-15 NIV

If I ask Him for what He already wants I can be confident He will do it. The key to knowing what He wants is to focus on Him rather than what I want. Then prayer becomes about relationship rather than a transaction.

Ask -  The first way to get what you pray for is to pray! How many times do we forget to pray first? Approach every endeavor with prayer. Approach God and include Him.

One of the worst legacies Benjamin Franklin left behind is a quote that has been attributed to him: “God helps those who help themselves.” While there is the truth that God wants us to act on His promises, Franklin’s statement puts God in the passenger seat. This idea influenced how I approached life. I felt like — maybe I still feel—  like I need to do everything I can do before I ask God for help. Before I include God.

I’ve learned this is not our Father’s heart. He wants to be involved every step of the way, from idea to completion. He wants to walk alongside you and me like a parent alongside the child riding a two-wheeler for the first time. The parent helps them get started. There is effort on both sides until the child is riding on their own. But that is where the analogy breaks down. Our Heavenly Father stays right alongside us, empowering us and guiding us as we ride.

Anything -  You won’t get 100% of the things you don’t ask for. Don’t be afraid to approach God with your requests. He wants to hear from you! I don’t know about you, but that idea of God helping those who help themselves has made me believe that I take care of the small stuff and don’t bother God until I can’t do it myself. Not true!

From the smallest detail to the largest project, He wants us to ask. He wants to be involved in every area of our lives. My life is His. That means all of it. Praying about anything and everything is part of the way I surrender to Him. It is acknowledging that I am His and don’t want to function independently. He cares about all of it! And it’s all His.

According to His will – This is the key. If you ask according to His will, you can be sure that you will receive it. But how do you know His will?

The key to knowing His will is to make knowing Him the priority rather than knowing what He wants you to do. Then you will learn His character and His heart. Those aspects of your relationship with Him will guide you to His will. Knowing His character and His Word is the key to knowing His will.

Dear Friend, He hears your prayers. He understands you and your heart. Do you understand His? If you want to get what you pray for make sure that you are asking God and including Him in the process. Remember you can include Him in anything and everything by bringing it to Him in prayer. But above all, seek Him and His will. When you pray according to that you can be confident that He hears you and you will receive what you ask for.

Key Question: How can get what I ask God for in prayer?

A Scripture to Consider: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:14-15 NIV

A YES Challenge: Set aside a half hour to ask yourself some hard questions about your prayer life. Do you ask God first? Are there things you don’t bring to God? What do you believe about His character and His word? What do you want to improve based on your conclusions?

Prayer: Father God, You know me and You understand me. Thank You for Your patience! Forgive me for bringing my will to You in prayer rather than seeking Your will first. Help me to recognize where I am leaving You out of the process and trying to do things on my own. I want to include You. I want to know You better so that I can pray according to Your will. Father, let Your will be done in me and through me. Amen.