Who Sets the Goals?

When training to run track for competition, it isn’t good enough just to run every day. There needs to be a target goal so that each day, you have something to shoot for. The same is true after an injury or surgery and going to physical therapy. They determine what you can do and where you want to end up. Then they give exercises and set goals for where you want to get. Even when trying to lose weight, it helps to have goals. They need to be realistic though. If the goal takes too long to reach, you may give up. It is better to make smaller goals and then readjust when you reach it. There are goals for work, for investments, for retirement, etc. What about in our Christian walk? Here is where we need to be careful. When we set the goals, we can begin to think of it as a means of earning our way. Most goals are made because we want to have a better life and a comfortable retirement. With faith, the goals are to be focused on God. What do I mean? If my goal is to pray more, I have to ask why? If it is so I feel like I am really doing something, it is works. If it is because we want to have a deeper and more intimate relationship with God, it becomes more promising. The same thing is true with reading God’s word. Why are we doing it? Is it because I want to sound more knowledgeable or seem more faithful, it is good but misses so much. If it is a desire to grow in our intimacy and to understand what God desires from His children, it can be great. When we set goals with our faith, we may lose the desire to continue to grow spiritually once we reach them. Many high school and college students have goals to learn enough to graduate but stop seeking to be knowledgeable once they get there. There should never be a time with our faith that we no longer have the hunger and desire to know God more and to serve Him in every way that we can. Does that mean we shouldn’t deliberately try to do what God shows us in His word? Without a drive, we will likely get stagnant in our faith and eventually wander away. The goals need to be set by God... through the Holy Spirit or in His word. Following that goal is out of a deep desire to please and serve God, and not a way deal with guilt or impress anyone. Our goal is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind.... Father, nurture in us a servant's heart, seeking to live out our faith according to Your leading. Amen