Most successful business people know how important it is to set goals. But to some sincere Christians I know, goal-setting isn’t spiritual. Yet I believe if we are to have a dynamic life in the Spirit, we must include this important concept.
Goals help us focus our efforts as we pursue God’s vision for our lives. This point is so important I included an entire chapter on it in my new book, Spirit-Led Living in an Upside-Down World, which releases May 16.
How can we do great things for the glory of God if we don’t have a vision of what that is? We must believe God for new mountains to climb and new visions to pursue. That is how we grow and develop our faith and move from “glory to glory.”
Once we have let God birth a vision into our spirits and have determined to implement it no matter the cost, then we must decide how we are going to accomplish it. This is where goal-setting becomes a critical tool. In fact, over the years I have found this has been key in seeing God’s vision unfold in my life.
Setting a goal is like focusing sunlight with a magnifying glass. When your life energy is shining on a pinpoint, you can start a fire. A goal poorly set is better than no goal because if you have a goal of any kind, you’re at least going somewhere, even if the destination is not carefully mapped out. Writing down spiritual, family, professional, self-improvement, or fitness goals often will set in motion the habits necessary to achieve them. The mind moves in the direction of its dominant thoughts, and what you measure and monitor improves.
When my late mentor Jamie Buckingham challenged me to think of what I would do if I knew I could not fail, I realized how small my dreams had been and how much I was limiting God. I made a decision to change. Now I consciously try not to limit God, even though I am sure His plans for my life go further than I imagine.
The apostle Paul had the vision of going to Jerusalem and then on to Rome. He didn’t consider that he would make those visits as a prisoner, but that’s how it came about. Often, God must delay the fulfilling of a vision or desire until He has prepared us to be people who can handle it with grace and humility. It is not God’s nature to give us greater visions and accomplishments if they will work to our destruction. Instead, God allows us to be hammered into the shape of a vessel that can gracefully contain the vision.
What God-inspired goals do you have for your life? Are you a scientist or doctor who can set a goal of finding a cure for a disease? Are you an entrepreneur who can pledge to give several million dollars to a credible mission organization? Are you a board member or pastor who can start a program for the poor in your city or network churches to meet the need? What would you do if there were no boundaries on your imagination or budget?
It’s as someone once said: “If you want to see miraculous fruit in your life, you must have faith as if it depends on God and work as if it depends on you.”
This is quite the opposite of the trends being set in today’s world. People are now encouraged to do the bare minimum at work, quit when things are not perfect and employers are encouraged to cater to the anger of workers who don’t want to work. But this trend neglects the importance of creating goals to reach the next level, not only at work, but in every area of life. This concept of throwing in the towel simply because we do not live in a perfect world is unbiblical. Colossians 3:17 tells us: “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
If you haven’t had big goals and dreams before now, I pray you will learn to set goals and give them deadlines. Keep in mind that when you stand before the Lord, He will hold you accountable for the talents, resources, and dreams He bestowed upon you. Use what He gave you wisely. Do not throw gifts away because of challenges. You stand to lose nothing by going for God’s highest plan for you, and on that day when He says to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” you will know that you attempted and accomplished much for your Savior.
Stephen E. Strang is the bestselling author of God and Donald Trump. The founder and CEO of Charisma Media, Strang was voted by Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America. He has interviewed four U.S. presidents and has been featured on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, CBN, Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk, theDailyCaller.com and in many Christian outlets.
For more information on my new book, Spirit-Led Living in an Upside-Down World, visit SteveStrangBooks.com.See an error in this article?
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