Setting goals

As I was growing up through my school years, I recall that most of my friends excelled in one particular area. Some excelled academically, others achieved very highly in a practical subject, and some were good at music, sport or other extra-curricular activities. I remember the endless training sessions leading up to a big competition in which we particularly wanted to do well. Before all our events, a coach, director or teacher set weekly goals to help us attain a certain level on the big day. These experiences taught us the value of setting goals.

Are you a person who sets goals? From the youngest years, we can begin to set goals for school, music, hobbies, sport and even our careers. The same applies to our Christian life. We can set goals at every turn throughout our life-long walk with Christ. When we set goals we begin to find purpose and motivation for our journey. In the Bible, we read that ‘where there is no vision the people perish’.
Prov 29:18.

The apostle Paul was a man who set goals. When times were getting very tough for him and he was being persecuted for his Christian faith, he said, ‘I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ’. Phil 3:14. We could say that Paul considered his goal to ‘know Him, and the power of His resurrection’. Phil 3:10. I’m almost certain that Paul would have developed a practical routine of prayer and devotion to support this goal.

Paul was very real about his struggles and would often talk through these hard times with people close to him. But he was able to say, ‘I press on, so that I may lay hold of, that for which also I was laid hold of, by Christ Jesus.’ Phil 3:12. It became Paul’s preoccupation and life-long goal, to ‘know Him and the power of His resurrection’.

We all know that life is not without its struggles. In fact, life is full of ups and downs, but it is comforting to know that we don’t have to make this journey alone. King David struggled in his walk with God. He said, ‘My feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped’. Psa 73:2. We all know that we need each other to achieve our goals. We will require wise help and counsel in areas where we are most likely to stumble or slip.

There is a right and proper way for us to live with focus and determination. Another great example from the Scripture is King Solomon. Perhaps the wisest man who has ever lived, Solomon was also a man who set goals. Throughout the book of Ecclesiastes he gave his ‘heart to know wisdom’, to ‘search things out by wisdom’ and to ‘understand madness and folly’.

I wonder if we could take encouragement from the example of these three men who determined in their hearts to do the will of God. Perhaps, we could also consider some practical goals in our routine as we also seek to know Him and do His will.

Shem Barnes

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Feature Articles
June 2009

The love of God

Preparing the way

Unrestrained lips

Redeemed to be sons

As for me and my house

Sweet fellowship

Effective households

Freedom

Setting goals

Pray without doubting