Why Christians Set (and Achieve) Goals Differently
We know for sure that God wants us to set and meet personal goals. But we should be careful not to fall into any of New Age spirituality’s traps. There’s a Christian way to do it.
One of the things that God does in Genesis is to lay out a blueprint for the act of creation through the power of the eternal Word. He even makes it clear that He wants us to share in the same process in our own small way (“Let Us make man to Our image and likeness”).
But the God-given human approach to setting and meeting goals has long been co-opted by the New Age movement (and others), which means that if you’re a Christian or Christianity-sympathizer looking for information about how to set and achieve goals effectively, you’re navigating a minefield of weird pseudoscience, and likely much worse.
Whether your goal is to start a school, discern a religious vocation, get your business off the ground, get married and start a family, read the Summa, or travel to Rome—there’s a Christian way to accomplish it.
Here are a few Bible verses to get us started (this will make things much easier):
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and get gain’ … Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and we shall do this or that.’” (James 4:13–15, RSVCE)
“But if God so clothes the grass of the field … will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious … Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” (Matthew 6:30–33)
“You are the light of the world … Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14–16)
“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13)
These verses show us that, as Christians, our approach to goal-setting should be:
Desire God’s will above our own. Ask God to help us meet our goals but, above all, desire that His will be done in your life.
Pursue our goals, but remain detached from the outcome. Remember: God may have a better plan that he will reveal to you in His own time.
Don’t be anxious. With faith in God, and by putting your relationship with Him first—especially through prayer—anything is possible.
Always remember that God is working through you, not for you. He wants to turn your life and any success that you might achieve into a sign of His glory for the world. That is the ultimate outcome.
God can turn failures and challenges into good. God can use any evil, distress, or failure for good. This is another reason not to worry, and put your faith in Him.
The best goals are a type of sacrifice or offering. Try setting goals that benefit others more than yourself and look to Christ and the saints for a model of the joy that comes with self-sacrifice.
Once you’ve got your heart and mind in the right place with your goals, you can start setting, planning, and meeting them.
Stay tuned for more.
The Saintmaker Catholic Life Planner includes powerful goal-setting and discernment tools incorporated into a quarterly personal planner to help you deepen your faith, become happier and more organized, and achieve more in your vocation. Click here to learn more…
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