God-Centered Goal Setting: Love is the Motivator

January 25, 2025 Cathleen Zahradnik

“O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.” Proverbs 23:26 NLT

It’s still early in the year. Have you set some goals yet? If so, did you include God in your goal-setting process? Loving God is about making Him the center of all we do. You and I know that. But do we let our love for Him dictate how we approach setting goals?

Essentially, there are two ways to approach including God in the process. The first is to set goals based on what you want and what you think is best. You may pray and believe these goals are the ones God is speaking to you, which is good. The final step in that process is to ask God to bless your efforts and help you achieve those goals.

There is nothing inherently wrong with that approach. Your desire is to honor God and that is wonderful! However, let me propose a better way.

In the second approach, you put God at the center from the beginning. You ask God what He is doing and how He wants you to participate. You ask Him to guide you in setting goals that achieve His purpose. I grow in my love for God when I focus my goal-setting process on hearing His heart and bringing Him glory. Here’s some perspective.

God-centered goals focus on what He is doing around me. Loving Him and listening to His heart means my eyes are more open to what is happening around me. I recognize when He is at work in a situation. I notice when He wants to move at a slower pace than I prefer. I hear another person’s words through the filter of what He wants to accomplish in and for them.

When I am more aware of what God is doing and wanting to do than my own desires, I can set goals that align with His. There is nothing more satisfying!

God-centered goals reveal what He wants me to do to achieve His goals. When I see and hear what He is doing around me my question becomes, “God, how do you want me to fit into Your plan and purpose here and now?”

Who Are You Working For?

May 11, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 NLT

Do you ever feel like you are just going through the motions of life? The alarm goes off. You open your heavy eyes and reach your finger to tap it silent. You stare at the ceiling and wonder, “Is this all there is? Where is the more I was meant for?” You drag your feet to the floor and stagger to the bathroom, then the kitchen…and so it starts again. Another empty day of just going through the motions. But is it really empty? Your feelings are loud and strong, but are they true?

Dear Friend, I have learned that in those seasons of wondering “where is the more I was meant for?” I was on the path to more even though I didn’t feel it. And you are, too. The course correction begins, not in your routine, but in your thinking. Here are a few reminders to help you make the shift. Ready?

The signature on your paycheck is not the point. If you don’t get a paycheck this is still for you. Whether or not you get a paycheck the question remains the same. Who are you working for? Your work serves someone.

Ready For A Change?

January 22, 2022 Cathleen Zahradnik

This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.” Colossians 1:6 NLT

You know the feeling. You look in the mirror and something just doesn’t look right. You don’t feel right. Something needs to change.

Or maybe you find yourself going through the motions of your day. You get up and go through your routine— you brush your teeth, brush your hair, have your coffee and head to work — and in the midst of it there is a gnawing emptiness. You know that you are doing what you are supposed to, but buried under all that sameness is a question: Why? What is the purpose?

You feel like you are heading aimlessly into an unclear future, a thick fog of question. You need clarity. You need meaning. You need a change.

I get you, Friend. I think that we have all been there at one time or another, but there is hope. Really, there is! Whether you have been following Christ for a long time or this Jesus thing is a new idea for you, what you need is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Why? Because the fruit of the Gospel is a transformed life.

My journey with Jesus began a long time ago and when I look back over my meandering path I see miles and miles of change. Since I first said YES to Jesus He has been changing me one choice at a time. And what He has done for me, I know He will do for you. If you need a change in your life, the answer is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I’ll bet you are wondering how God has transformed my life. If you are really interested in a change then you want some hope of what that change might look like for you. How has God transformed my life and what might transformation look like for you?

How To Rest In His Righteousness

November 6, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 'Philippians 3: 8-9

If you have ever seen the musical My Fair Lady you might identify with Eliza Doolittle. In defense of herself in her uncertainty and confusion as Professor Higgins begins concocting his plan to take the flower girl and turn her into a lady, she declares in her low-brow Cockney accent, “I’m a good girl, I am!” She isn’t sure what he is proposing, so she makes it clear that she isn’t going to compromise her understanding of what is good morality to participate in whatever he is planning. Being a good girl was a part of her identity that she wasn’t willing to give up for a more refined way of speaking.

As a young woman, my inner being would often be declaring, “I’m a good girl, I am!” Being a good girl was a part of my identity that I wasn’t willing to compromise. I had attended religious education classes in my denomination. I believed that there was a God and I had an deep desire to avoid getting in trouble. I didn’t like getting yelled at! So, being a “good girl” wasn’t about loving God or loving what is good. It was about avoiding conflict with authority figures, like my parents or school officials, or God. Being a good girl meant that I could fly under the radar and basically do what pleased me as long as it didn’t get me in trouble. I did have convictions about what was wrong, but they weren’t solid because they weren’t built on a foundation that was solid. My idea of what was right and wrong was shaped by my religious education, but really built on my own desire to protect myself from shame. My foundation for righteousness was built on ME.

When I came to Christ, He began to reshape my idea of what it means to be a “good girl”. He began to renovate my motivation toward righteousness. I started out trying to avoid conflict with God. Yes, I wanted to please Him, but internally the fear of being shamed was still unknowingly my primary motivation. I tried very hard to do the right thing and to spiritually declare, “I’m a good girl, I am!” But God’s desire for me was, and is, to be more than a “good girl.” He wants me to know that I am a loved girl, and to rest from striving to be good. He wants me to know that what Jesus did was enough to make me good enough for the God who is abundantly more than enough.

So, how do I learn to rest in His righteousness?

To Experience Joy, Transform Obligation To Offering

August 14, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:17-18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Do you ever feel like you are just going through the motions of life, even a Christian life? You get up, do what you need to do, go to bed and then do it all over again? You go to church, you serve, but it all seems so empty? I have been through those seasons as well. There are times in our lives when we have been through a great loss - of a loved one or through trials - and just getting through each day is a miracle. That is not the kind of season we are talking about here. The question I want you to consider is this: Have you lost the joy of living for God?

Daily life can sometimes cloud the light of life in Christ. What I mean is, we get so focused on doing the tasks and checking the boxes that we miss why we do it. At least, I have.

At the heart of Christian life is not religion, what I define as “human attempts to reach God,” but a relationship. Not obligations to fulfill, but an offering to be presented. Are you following God from a place of obligation or are you making the choice to offer your life to Him on a daily basis? My dear friend, when you choose to make your life an offering, I can guarantee that you will be filled with joy. I want that for you!

Here are some things to remember that will help you transform your obligation to offering.

Do You Shine?

July 24, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I make a point of not checking the news first thing in the morning. Doesn’t it seem like every headline screams, “This world is a mess!” The evil of this broken world and the propensity of broken people to intentionally hurt each other is present in almost every news story, written in bold, black letters. News headlines set a negative tone for my day right off the bat and I have decided to spend my waking minutes orienting myself toward God. It’s hard enough to wake up and focus on God. I don’t need the news to distract me. What about you?

Once my eyes begin to focus and the caffeine kicks in, I want my first thoughts to remind me of who God is, who I am because of Him and how I am supposed to live. In his letter to his friends in Philippi, the apostle Paul tells the Philippian believers to “live clean, innocent lives as children of God.”(Philippians 2:14) His challenge to his friends is the challenge for you and me as well: Live, clean innocent lives and shine in a dark world.

What does that look like anyway? What does it mean to live a “clean, innocent” life as a child of God? What makes the children of God so different from other people that they seem to “shine”?

No Divisions

March 20, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Only one thing concerns me: Be sure that you live in a way that brings honor to the Good News of Christ. Then whether I come and visit you or am away from you, I will hear that you are standing strong with one purpose, that you work together as one for the faith of the Good News,” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭NCV‬‬

2020. Thankfully, it is now a very recent memory. But something is going to happen as time goes on. We are going to look back and see how the effects of the global pandemic acted like a magnifying glass, exposing the tensions and splits that have long been at work in our nation and in our individual lives. When you were locked down at home with your family, did underlying conflicts come to the surface? Did what was already difficult in your relationships seem to intensify? We saw that on a national level, didn’t we? It was painful, very painful. And, unfortunately, we also saw it among our brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead of working together for the faith of the Good News, we quibbled about masks and whether or not churches should re-open. Here’s a challenge: Did your reactions during lockdown honor the Good News of Christ? Did you amplify unity or deepen division at home or nationally?

What’s Your Perspective On Priority?

March 6, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“To me the only important thing about living is Christ, and dying would be profit for me.” Philippians‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭NCV‬‬

Priority. It’s a word that we throw around a lot. We talk about “priority customers” and “priority relationships”. “Putting your priorities in order” “Getting my priorities straight.” “ What are your priories?” Is that something you’ve ever considered? Have you ever taken intentional time to evaluate your priorities? Maybe you sat down and listed all the things that are important to you and then numbered them. There, now you have a list of priorities and number one is the most important, right? Well...maybe not. It’s important to understand what we are really talking about when we say “priority.” What is your perspective on priority?

Did you know that the word actually means "one thing"? There was not a plural form of the original word. It meant one important thing. So that list that you and I were challenged to write of our priorities? Not a thing. I have been thinking about the Apostle Paul recently. To Paul only one thing is important, only one thing matters. Paul was able to persevere through hardship because he focused on what mattered and in his letter to his friends n Philippi he invited them to follow his example. Paul’s perspective enabled him to persevere with joy, peace and contentment. God is inviting you and I to learn to do the same.

What was Paul’s “one thing”? You guessed it! Christ. Only Christ. Always Christ. To Paul, “the only important thing about living is Christ.”(Philippians 1:21 NCV) Wow! Christ was Paul’s priority. Christ Himself and all that He is. What did that perspective do for Paul? What were the results of making Christ his priority and how can we get the same benefits? Paul demonstrates that living a life of fulfillment, purpose and peace is possible as we live for what matters and let go of what doesn’t.

What’s The Story of Your Life in 2021?

February 20, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.” ‭Philippians‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I am a reader. I have been since childhood. When I was about middle-school age a family member gave me a bookmark that said, “My books are friends that never fail me.” That sums up my childhood relationship with books. I depended on that steady friendship.

At one time, reading was my method of escape and adventure. I could go places in my imagination that weren’t possible in my real life. I could imagine myself as the bold and daring lead character in the story, rather than the scared and timid girl I was.

Later on, reading became my way to learn about the world and then about being a Christian. One of my favorite types of books to read is biographies. I learn so much from reading about people. Reading about great Christians of the past inspires and challenges me. Somehow those people lived for Christ in the midst of great difficulty, at great cost and accomplished great things for Him.

I don’t think anyone will ever write a book about my life, but I want to live that way. Their inspiring stories challenge me to wonder: What does it mean to live for Christ in 2021? In the midst of a global pandemic? Let’s think about that together.

It means to live without fear. Living without fear...at all? Fear is a natural reaction to danger. God made us with the ability to fear for our own protection. So, no fear at all is not really the goal. But, there is a difference between healthy fear for our protection and the kind of fear that keeps us from really living for Christ.

How Sweet Is It?

February 13, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬
“For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity].” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭AMP‬‬

What’s your favorite sweet taste? I love anything that is cinnamony. And my favorite sweet combination: Peanut butter and chocolate. Yum! Our American palates have been trained toward sweet more than we realize, but the truth is our penchant for sweetness has dulled our ability to really taste food. More on that in a moment.

Do you ever take time for fasting and prayer? I know, I know. It can be intimidating to even think about, but it is one of the most challenging and beneficial disciplines that you can undertake for your spiritual growth. I encourage you to take the leap! God may show you something like He did for me recently.