“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” I Corinthians 15:58 NKJV
I like setting goals. I have gotten in the habit of setting them at the beginning of every year. What I have learned most from this practice is that some goals are my ideas, and some align with God’s goals for me. As the year goes on, I can tell by the progress I make and how I am learning and growing in the process. I want to set those kinds of goals from the start. But how do I narrow down my goals to focus on God’s goals for me? How do I know what God wants?
This is a tough one. There are many plans in my heart and yours. So many things you and I want to do. How do we know which ones to focus on? How do we narrow our goals down to the ones that God has for us?
Here are a few steps.
Pray. This may seem obvious, but it is an easy step to skip. Even when we are working for the Lord it can be easy to leave Him out of the process. We make our plans and work hard, convincing ourselves that we are doing it for God, but it’s very possible that we’ve never talked to Him about it.
This became clear to me when I was working as a full-time pastor. All day, every day I was working for God, but I realized I was losing my connection to Him, and I didn’t want that. I began to pray regularly as I sat down to my desk, Lord, help me do this with You, not just for You. It’s a prayer I still pray, but. more often than not, it’s a prayer I need to remind myself to pray because I just dive into the work. Perhaps you identify with that.
Praying over my goals regularly helps me remember that I can’t accomplish them on my own and that my goals are not about me. They are about His honor and glory. That helps me tweak or abandon goals as necessary. But it also keeps me motivated to persevere in the goals that become clearly His.
Read. God’s goals will always line up with His Word. The best way to recognize God’s goals for you is to know what His word says. Again, this may seem obvious, but it is easy to skip. God’s goals are so much bigger than simply getting things done. God’s goals fit in to His overall plan.
It’s important to get the scope of the whole Bible. A friend described it as like getting a wide view of the Grand Canyon. If you are in the canyon, you only see what is right in front of you, perhaps dust, pebbles and vegetation. But the wide view is majestic and panoramic. Glorious! I have yet to visit the Grand Canyon, but it’s on my bucket list. I want to get that view.
The Bible is so much more than a collection of encouraging words or a list of dos and don’ts. It is God’s story. His heart for the redemption of our broken relationship with Him is on every page. The better you get to know the whole story, the better you will understand how you fit into it. Then you will be able to see how your goals line up with His. The key is to not only focus on the words that make you feel good. Get the big picture.
Watch. Circumstances will often point us in the right direction. “Open doors” can be the clues we need to head in the right direction. Once the direction becomes clear it’s time to take steps. There may be challenges along the way, but when the direction is clear you will have the motivation you need to overcome obstacles. When you know that you are on the right path you will have the strength to be steadfast.
Circumstances include asking trusted confidants what they believe God is saying for you. This is important. Those trusted friends will either confirm what you already believe God is saying to you or they will recognize something you are missing. Someone you trust should be able to tell you the truth no matter what.
Our hearts are fickle, aren’t they? Sometimes we can convince ourselves of something and blind ourselves to truth. I know I have done that. That is when my husband will speak up. I may not like what he says at first, and I will most likely give him all the reasons why I am right, and he is wrong. But the nagging feeling that he is right — because he is—usually wins out in the end.
Don’t hold onto your plans so tightly that no one can challenge you. Don’t be afraid to share them with those close to you because they might tell you that you’re wrong. You might be wrong. If you want to narrow down your goals to line up with God’s goals for you, then you need the help of those you love and trust.
Dear friend, setting goals for God is a noble task. When your heart is His, you want to do all you can for Him. But the goals that matter most are His goals for you. Getting to those goals is a process that involves prayer, getting the wide view of Scripture and watching for the clues that light the path. Involve those whom you trust in the process to help you get the clearest picture possible. Then set your goals and persevere in His purposes. It will be worth every effort.
Key Question: How do I narrow down my goals to the ones God has for me?
A Scripture to Consider: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” I Corinthians 15:58 NKJV
A YES Challenge: If you have set goals for the year, take time to pray over them. Ask yourself how they align with God’s heart to redeem humanity. Consider sitting down with a trusted friend to help you narrow down your goals so you can focus on the ones you believe God has for you.
Prayer: Father God, I love You and want my goals to honor You. I am often guilty of working for You while forgetting to include You in the process. Forgive me and help me align my goals with Your goals for me. I want to do more than just get things done. I want to work toward Your purposes in the world. I want what I do to matter in Your big story. Thank You for the people who will tell me the truth and help me focus on what is important to You. Give me grace and courage to include them in the process. Amen.
