Are you wondering how to set goals according to the Bible? Do you invite God into your goal and planning sessions? It’s simpler than you think, and it’s life-changing. That’s why I want to show you how to set goals according to the Bible so you can see how small changes have long-term spiritual benefits.
Biblically speaking, setting goals shows God that we trust Him and are willing to work hard, obey, and glorify Him for His name’s sake. Setting goals according to the Bible can better align our lives and habits towards the Lord’s will by putting important projects and milestones in writing to maximize our time. Here are some tips on how to set spiritually-minded goals that will help you grow closer to the Lord. I’ll unpack this topic using Scriptures from the book of Psalms.
PRAY and ask God about the goals to set
When deciding what goals to set in life, the Bible encourages us to seek the Lord’s counsel and pray for guidance. God’s plans will prevail and lead us to walk in the right direction. However, as an act of faith, writing goals that are closely aligned with what you believe are what He’s calling you to do must not be dismissed. Prayer and asking for His will and purpose for your life are vital to ensure you’re moving down the right path.
A good question is, God what kind of goals should I set?
Again, God will help us discern which steps we should take and give us wisdom from His Word to pursue what aligns with His will. Good desires come from God, and it’s not wrong to ask God for the desires of your heart or strive for excellence.
I created Dream Big Goals, which is all about Christian business owners creating God-sized goals. Goals that are bigger than you because you’ll need to rely on God and walk by faith to accomplish them. No matter how far away a goal may seem, when we submit fully to Jesus Christ, our Lord will guide and direct every step of the journey toward it. In prayerful trust, let’s ask God for direction on the goals He desires for our lives. We must remember that our desires come from God, and if we strive for excellence in obedience, He will help us achieve them when we set goals according to the Bible.
WRITE DOWN YOUR VISION, GOALS, AND PRAYER REQUESTS
Have you ever pulled out an old photo or read some old notes you jotted down years ago? Would you remember every detail if you didn’t have those life markers to remind you of what happened that day?
You have real dreams and desires, and you’ll need to be honest about them with God. Writing down your vision, goals, and prayer requests in a journal, notebook, or planner is an excellent way to call to remembrance what you ask of God. Additionally, you’ll be able to track all the prayers He answers. Writing your heart’s desires down also helps you keep a record of what God tells you over time in fulfilling them. If you don’t write it down, you’ll find it hard to remember all God is doing for you and those you pray for as the victories compete with everything else in your mind.
It’s also a great way to remind yourself of the dreams and aspirations you have set for yourself according to what the Bible teaches us–that we should “commit our works unto the Lord” (Proverbs 16:3). When you set goals according to the Bible in your prayers and journaling, you’ll see the hand of God all over them.
By keeping track of our goals in a place where we can reference and read regularly, we create an avenue for praying about them and seeing them become a reality. Not only does it help with goal setting, but it can also provide additional clarity on how to reach those goals.
So grab a pen and paper and jot down your plans as you work diligently towards reaching them!
CREATE A PLAN OF ACTION TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
Psalm 127:1-2 NKJV Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.
Can you build a house without a foundation and blueprint? The answer is clearly no! That’s why you can’t arrive at the destination unless you write down a plan to achieve your goals. What steps must you take each month, week, and day to get closer to your goals? Write the action plan, but ensure the Lord builds the house. Establishing God-led goals is integral to living a successful and fulfilling life. The Bible provides principles in every book to help us with our work ethic and goals. So create a real plan, set goals according to the Bible, and move toward the destination because when the Lord builds the house, He will watch over its success.
Also, meditate daily on the Scriptures relevant to your goals. This will help you gain clarity and focus, which are key to achieving success.
Also, please make sure that your plan of action is specific and measurable so that you can track your progress easily and remind yourself to stay disciplined and consistent. I use a hybrid framework goal-setting. SMART goals, The 12-Week Year, and some other nuggets I teach it to Christian business owners, especially at the end of the year. I also created a Dream Big Goal-Setting Guide & Planner system which walks you through purpose discovery and setting up your goals and habits in a 90-day planner.
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SET DEADLINES pray FOR STRENGTH TO MEET YOUR GOALS
Once you set your goals and systemize them for success, you’ll want to set realistic deadlines, ask God for strength in your work, and hold yourself accountable to reach the milestones. Setting a timeline will motivate you to stay focused and prevent laziness and procrastination, helping you reach your potential in Christ.
Committing to a start and end date time frame will make the difficulty level feel more accessible. If you’re not moving ahead, you’re staying stagnant, and that’s not good. Faith in God during the journey of your goals is achievable over a short time rather than letting years go by without progression.
With this go-getter mindset and focus, the Bible is your instruction manual for wise goal-setting that brings you closer to God and the purposes He has for your life.
STAY POSITIVE AND FOCUSED ON YOUR GOALS, EVEN WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH
Find some things you enjoy doing and people to hang around for encouragement to balance out the tough days. I can’t stress how vital it is to surround yourself with individuals who actively encourage and support you as you move closer to your purpose. Just because people are Christians does not mean they will be good to be around when you’re focused on success in God’s way. But connecting with the right people for support will be hugely beneficial in helping you stay motivated while keeping distractions at bay.
When obstacles inevitably arise in pursuit of our goals, staying prayerful and focused is the only way to succeed. Look at the vision you wrote and remember your commitment, and take accountability.
Developing a support system of loving friends and family and reminding ourselves to give thanks for all we have can further ensure positivity is maintained when things start to feel discouraging.
GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HELPING YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
Psalm 136:1 KJV O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
The Lord is so good to us and His mercy endures forever.
As we set our goals, we must acknowledge that nothing we do would be possible without God and his grace and mercy. The Bible instructs us to thank Him for all the blessings He provides us because He’s so good. By giving thanks to God for helping you accomplish your goals, you will come to a deeper level of appreciation for all He has done in your life. Whether you have achieved your dream or are still on the journey, always thank the Lord God as He helps make each milestone possible.
No matter what you are working towards in life, big or small, personal or professional goals, the Bible has much to say about how we should achieve them. By taking the time to pray and ask for God’s guidance, writing down your specific goals, making a plan of action, setting deadlines, and connecting with the right people, you will be well on your way to seeing your prayers answered and crossing items off of your goal list. Stay positive and focused on what you want to achieve, give thanks along the way, and don’t forget that you’ll reach your destination with God’s help and His ordering your steps.
Do you have any exciting goals in the works? Please share them with us in the comments below!
