How to Set God-Centered Goals — The Word and the Spirit

February 22, 2025 Cathleen Zahradnik

“The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.” Ephesians 1:14 NLT

How do you set God-centered goals? If you are like me, you want your life to line up with God’s goals for you. You want to live for His glory. That means you want to set goals that honor Him and advance His Kingdom. A worthy desire! But how?

The key to lining up your goals with God’s goals for you is to know what His goals are, right? But how do you know what His goals are? He has provided all that you need. His Word and His Spirit.

The Word. If you want to set God-centered goals you must immerse yourself in the Word of God. His goal for your life will always line up with His Word. His word is one story from beginning to end. His Word helps you understand the big picture of God’s love for humanity and His plan for their redemption. God-centered goals fit into that big picture.

To know God’s goal for you, you must know His Word. You understand His desires as You understand Him through His Word. Jesus is the Living Word. God-centered goals glorify Jesus and always point to Him.

The Spirit. The Spirit is God present with us here and now. He is the guarantee that our lives belong to God, that we have a part in the inheritance He has planned for His family. What an awesome thought!

ASK: What Do You Want Most?

February 15, 2025 Cathleen Zahradnik

“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” Acts 20:24 NLT

What is the result of God-centered goal setting? God’s glory. Is that what you want most? That’s a question I must often ask myself. If I want to stay on track with God’s purpose for my life, then His glory has to be the driver for my choices. But it often isn’t. What about you?

The key to setting God-centered goals is to seek God’s glory above all else. Much of the internet and print teaching you find about setting goals has to do with self-fulfillment and reaching your full potential. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, but it lacks the aspect of fulfilling divine potential, becoming all that God designed you to be.

So, Dear Friend, ask yourself what you really want. Is it self-fulfillment or fulfilling God’s dream for your life?

When I seek God’s glory, my desires become submitted to His. The thing about God’s glory is that it’s about God, not me. Do you start setting goals by asking what you want to do? Even if you start with asking who you want to be it leaves God out of the picture.

Ask: Why Am I Asking?

February 8, 2025 Cathleen Zahradnik

“…You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:2-3 NIV

Motives. It’s so hard to recognize and understand our own motives. What are my motives when I approach God? Am I asking Him to agree with me or am I agreeing with Him? What is it I really want? My motives when I approach God will affect how I ask and what I ask Him for.

Corrie Ten Boom was a well-known Christian author, speaker, and concentration camp survivor. I once heard a quote attributed to her that has shaped my prayers since. She said the key to knowing God’s will is being willing to do whatever He asks. Wow! That is a simple and challenging statement! Do I truly want to know God’s will? Am I willing to do whatever He says?

When I get honest with myself, I recognize times when God’s will is not what I want most. I am really looking for something else, even though I am going to God in prayer.

Comfort. I clearly remember the moment when God revealed comfort as a motive for my prayers. I was fervently praying for a loved one to break out of a deep depression. At least I convinced myself that is what I was praying for. As I prayed, I felt God’s whisper. “Stop!” He showed me that I wasn’t praying for my loved one. I was praying for myself. My loved one’s challenge made my life more difficult. What I was really praying for was my own comfort. My loved one’s healing would make my life easier. That was my motive for prayer. Yuck!

Ambition. I often hear people say they want to do great things for God. So do I!

Ask: How to Get What You Pray For

February 1, 2025 Cathleen Zahradnik

“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.

Goal-Setting Step 1: Ask - Listen for the Unexpected

January 11, 2025 Cathleen Zahradnik

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.” Psalms 32:8-9 NIV

Tom and I like to begin the year with a season of prayer and fasting. Why? We want our relationship with God to set the tone for the year. What characteristics does He want to build in us? What weaknesses will we work on? What does God want me to know about Him this year? What goals does God want me to set to help me grow toward the person He designed me to be?

Setting God-centered goals starts with asking God what He wants. This goal-setting process begins in the final quarter of the previous year. That is when I begin praying, listening, and looking to discover my word for the next year. That word becomes a guide as I enter the fasting and prayer season. This process of praying and waiting is about staying open. By removing distractions, like sweet treats, social media, or mindless games on my phone, I make space for God to speak. And He does.

God-centered goals often lead us in unexpected ways to unexpected places with unexpected people. Last year one of my goals was to finally finish writing and publish the book that has been in process for a decade, The YES Adventure. That goal led me to apply for an aspiring author’s cohort with a well-known writer and speaker…and I was accepted! I received one one-on-one input from a woman whose ministry I have admired for several years. Her guidance helped me finally see a clear structure for my book. Not only that, but I also received meaningful personal ministry from her at a conference several years ago and was able to tell her how much she had impacted me. After the online meeting she called to tell me she had left that conference discouraged and wondering if she had connected with anyone. I said, “You did! With me!”

I didn’t know about that cohort in January. If I had not recognized God’s nudge to make the book a priority I would never have applied for the group, received clarity on structure, or had the opportunity to encourage my mentor. The goal wasn’t just about the task, but the people who became part of helping me complete the task. Developing tenacity, learning techniques, and influencing people have all been a part of the book project. It’s so much more than achieving a goal. It’s about the growth, more than the goal.

God-centered goals are about God’s plan for my growth.

Always. Never. Be.

November 30, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

Here in the U.S. November reminds us to be thankful. You may think I chose the verse above due to the Thanksgiving holiday. You are partially right but not completely. I have had a weekly reminder of this verse popping up on my phone since January of this year.

My word for the year has been Joy. In January I chose some verses to support that theme and help me meditate on the meaning of Joy in my life so that I can apply it. I am still trying to distill the lessons that meditation has taught me. Do you mind if I process with you?

This verse helps me know a few things about Joy.

Joy is a choice. I can always choose to be joyful. 2024 America is a feelings-based culture. Advertising is designed to appeal to our feelings. People often disregard logic and make decisions based on feelings. Their logic boils down to the conclusion that feelings affirm what is true. But feelings aren’t always a good indicator of truth. That’s what makes the Word of God so important. Like a compass in the hands of a ship’s navigator, we need something to keep us headed in the right direction when we can’t see. A compass always points north. Always.

You and I can choose joy because God never changes. I can choose joy because I know what is true. He is. He was. He ever shall be. And I get to walk through it all with the One who never changes regardless of my feelings. I can choose joy. And so can you.

Joy results when I bring my concerns to God in prayer. I can choose to never stop praying.

Looking for an Answer to Prayer? Work, Watch, Wait

October 12, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.” Psalms 37:7 NLT

“It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:7 NLT

I recently “planted a seed.” No, not a literal seed. But I sent out a small thing that I hope will bring back a harvest. That seed is surrounded by prayer. How and when will God answer that prayer and what should I do while I’m waiting?

Another seed: I finally wrote a book! Years ago, God gave me the seed of an idea as I prepared a sermon. It took a while for me to plant that seed in writing and then for the seed to germinate as I developed the ideas. Now, I’ve begun to see sprouts and am learning how to tend the seed for growth. Soon, the plant will be developed and bear fruit. The book will be published before the end of 2024. I am planning for December 1st. If you would like to receive email alerts about the book, click here.

Are you waiting for a harvest, too? What can you do while waiting for an answer? If you have planted a seed of prayer or action, there are things you can do while you wait.

Work. Being still before the Lord does not mean you plant yourself in a chair and stay there until the answer comes. It doesn’t mean you stare at the seed until you see a sprout. Being still before the Lord means you quiet the inner need to make something happen. It means you step back, open your hands, and let Him lead the way.

In the meantime, you work.

Can Faith and Doubt Coexist?

August 31, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:24 NLT

The Scripture above is one of my favorite prayers. I suppose I should be embarrassed to admit that. A person of faith never doubts, right? Wrong! People of faith often doubt, but many of us have been taught to ignore doubts. However, when we ignore our doubts and say we believe something because we think we should, we cross into forbidden territory. The name of that territory is Lie. It is a lie to declare I believe something I actually doubt. So, what is the balance? Can faith and doubt co-exist? What if the answer is yes?

What does it look like when faith and doubt co-exist?

Faith speaks truth. Speaking truth has two sides when it comes to faith. I can speak the truth of God’s Word. I can declare that what God says is true without a doubt.

But truth must also admit doubt. The doubt may be about how the truth is to be expressed. Perhaps the doubt lies in interpretation and application. What if you doubt the Scriptures are the Word of God? All those years. So many human authors. How could it be trustworthy? If that is where you stand, then faith must speak it to God. Perhaps your honesty is “I believe God is real, but I am not sure He communicates with people. I am not sure that the Scriptures are the Word of God.” Then your faith prayer could become, “Lord, help me to believe that You speak and show me I can trust the Scriptures.”

Faith must speak truth. God can handle it.

Faith trusts enough to acknowledge doubt.