Are Goals Biblical?

On my other blogsite, Life and Miles, I just posted an article about setting goals.  I post a similar blog every year, normally in late December.   This year, I’m a little late.  If you have time, I hope you’ll read it.  It’s my prayer that it will be a blessing to you.

I shared briefly in that post that we don’t set goals for ourselves. As believers, we should set them so that our lives might be used to advance the Kingdom of Christ, and so that we might glorify Him and serve others.  That would be the only biblical reason to set goals, or so it seems to me.

The Scriptures clearly teach that our goals must be in alignment with God’s will for our lives.  Proverbs 19:21 tells us that “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”  Further, we read in Psalm 127:1 the following, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”

So, we should be careful about making plans without seeking God’s will in all matters.  James reminds us of this in James 4:15, where he writes, “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

But I believe that God does expect us to plan with humility, yet with confidence, not in ourselves, but in Him. Shown below are some passages which teach this.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:28)

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 3:13-14) Our pastor used this text this morning in teaching how to not waste our lives.

Also, “But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.” (Isaiah 32:8)

The whole concept of sanctification, or spiritual growth for believers, anticipates that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will progress or do better as we continue our journey toward eternity.  We are being conformed to the image of Christ, little by little, day by day, until that work is completed in glorification.  And while we, in no way, participate in God’s work of salvation, we are called upon to take an active role in our growth.  This includes repentance, followed by a renewal of our commitments to Christ and to His church.  How can we do this without setting goals for our lives.  I can’t. 

As we move into this new year, it is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you those areas of your life that need renewal and growth, that He will show you what you need to do in this new year and that you will glorify Christ in your goals and in your efforts to accomplish those goals.

Have a blessed and happy 2023!