Our culture deems goal setting crucial to one’s success! Goals are a highly valued commodity; books, commercials, and highly admired people encourage the masses to set some goals in order to achieve success. People believe that if you want to make progress and reach your desired destination, you must have goals. The voice of our culture implies that people who don’t set goals never reach anything, which leads one to be a loser in life!
Conversely, in some Christian circles, goal setting is synonymous to carnality and man striving to be in control. Some Christians believe that it is up to God to do all the work, and they are just supposed to go along for the ride! The individuals feel that as long as they pray, God will move and direct their path. They are not in charge of their lives because they have surrendered it all to God.
There is truth to both sides of the argument, but finding true balance between the two extreme views is the wisdom provided by God through His word.
The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty. Proverb 21:5
We all need to make some plans in life. When we are young, we need to plan to get an education and develop a career in life. As we get older and have a consistent job, we need to set goals for our finances by saving and putting money aside for our retirement. If we plan to purchase a house, we need to save some money for a down payment.
Lack of planning and goal setting can lead us into a big pitfall by making hasty decisions. For example, if we just hastily jump into the decision of purchasing a house that we really can’t afford, it can lead us into bondage or into an eventual foreclosure. This can unleash years of emotional, financial, and relational problems. There are a whole host of other situations that require a level of planning in order for us to be successful and avoid major problems in life.
Does our goal setting look different than the world? How does a believer set goals in a Godly way? This is the subject of the next devotional.
2 thoughts on “Goal Setting (Part I)”
Tim Merfeld
Great topic Karline! Goals laid out is fine, I think flexibility is big in having a plan B. I got these plans, God willing. However, God if you have something in mind, I give you permission to interrupt me so I can go and do it your way. It is a both/And. Laying it out, but then saying Jesus have your way!!
Great topic Karline! Goals laid out is fine, I think flexibility is big in having a plan B. I got these plans, God willing. However, God if you have something in mind, I give you permission to interrupt me so I can go and do it your way. It is a both/And. Laying it out, but then saying Jesus have your way!!
That’s right Tim. That’s the subject of the next devotional.