Here is a most important thought about goals. Let’s look at some goal related scriptures:

Did you know God sets goals?

God plans to bring all of history to His goal in Christ. Then Christ will be the head of everything in heaven and on earth!” (Ephesians 1:10)

Your goals should bring God glory.

“We make it our goal to please Him” (God) my addition. (2 Corinthians 5:9a); “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31b)

Reach Godly goals with God’s power.

“You will not succeed by your own strength or power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.” (Zechariah 4:6)

Godly goals require faith.

“Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6) We must set goals bigger than we can accomplish on our own without God.

Godly goals are motivated by love.

“Let love be your highest goal.” (1 Corinthians 14:1a); “Everything you do must be done with love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14)

Pastor Rick Warren, who recently wrote, “Created to Dream: The 6 Phases God Uses to Grow Your Faith,” encourages us to look at the ultimate goal in a devotion titled, “Godly Goals have Eternity in Mind.” He asks, “Do my goals help me know God, grow in God, serve God, share God, love God, tell others about God?” Wow! Let me quote a little from his earlier devotion: “God’s purposes for your life aren’t just for here; they are forever and ever and ever.” He says, “If you think this life is all there is, then you will set goals as if this life is all there is. On the other hand, if you realize one day you are going to stand before God and he’s going to say, ‘What did you do while I put you on earth? Did you learn the things I put there to learn? Did you trust my son?’ – Then, it will shape how you look at your goals.”

What he is asking you is, for instance, how do you pray? “When you pray, do you pray to get God to help you with your own purpose or do you pray to align yourself with God’s purpose?” . . . “God is looking for people he can use to fulfill his purposes.” Romans 6:13 says, “Do not use any part of yourselves to sin or to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God … and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes.”

Godly goals have eternity in mind. Paul gives an example of this when he says, “I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step.” 1 Corinthians 9:26 Paul refused to be distracted. Pastor Warren says, “Think about this, “In a race, you don’t get to set the end. The finish line is already predetermined. And you make progress one step at a time. The same is true with goals. You work on them one step at a time and you work with purpose in every step.”

Now I encourage you to consider during these last days of this Lenten season, do your goals help you to know God, grow in God, serve God, share God, love God, and tell others about God? I pray that they do, and that you receive many Easter Blessings.

Written to God’s honor and glory.