Proverbs 16:1-3, 9 "To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.…In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."
As a Christian, should we or should we not set goals? Today, I’d like to explore some beneficial reasons why we should be motivated to set goals for ourselves in different areas of life. In my last newsletter, I reflected on some of the practical ways I’ve been trying to develop healthier habits, specifically with how I spend my free time and in how I eat and exercise. I also mentioned that this would be a two-part “mini” series on my personal growth in self-discipline. Today’s email will focus on what I’ve learned from setting goals in my personal life, while also looking at what the Bible has to say about making goals.
I have heard people make the argument that setting goals is not important, since we know that God is in control and ultimately His plans will always succeed. I’ve also heard people argue that setting goals can encourage legalism or works-based righteousness. But does that align with what God’s Word says?
I think the opening verses for today from Proverbs 16 adequately address two aspects of planning and setting goals that we should keep in mind: First, God is ultimately in control over all things, and second, our plans and the motive behind them matter. I believe this aligns with what we read in James 4 where he talks about holding onto our plans lightly, seeking to do something if the Lord wills it:
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”James 4:13-15
Notice how James does not say, “don’t plan at all.” Instead, He prompts us to realize that as we plan, we cannot hold onto our goals and desires as our ultimate hope. That is found only in God’s perfect plan, which we do not have all the details for.
I feel like many of us fall into one of two camps when setting goals—the “all in” or the “all out” ditches. What I mean is that we either set so many goals and make so many plans, that when we don’t accomplish those goals we feel like failures. The person who falls in this ditch may have a heart longing for control. Then there are those of us who just “let go and let God” and don’t challenge ourselves to set goals at all, which might be reflecting a heart that loves ease and comfort and has no desire to be pushed or to grow. I don’t believe either of those ditches are the healthy, God-honoring ways we should approach goal-setting. Jesus, in Luke 14 gives us a helpful look into a better way to view plans and making goals:
“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? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.”Luke 14:28-32
Now in this context, Jesus was specifically addressing the large crowds around Him and explaining the cost of being His disciple. He wanted the people to know that choosing to follow Him wasn’t some simple decision to make quickly. He wanted people to count the cost of following Him appropriately before making their decision. However, I believe we can use this principle of planning wisely in how we view the other decisions, plans, and goals we make in life. In this passage, Jesus taught that people like builders or kings plan wisely before making a decision or setting a goal, like in building a large tower or in going to war. This also corroborates what other parts of Scripture have to say about planning wisely:
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.Proverbs 15:22
Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.Proverbs 20:18
Wise goal-setting is something I really wanted to grow in this year. I was tired of setting personal goals in the past that were just too unrealistic to start with, and then getting super discouraged when I didn’t keep up with them. So, to help me with my physical goals of eating healthier and incorporating more regular exercise in my life, I decided to sign up for a 12-week health class offered through my work. This class, called “Pivio,” teaches “6 pillars of lifestyle medicine.” Each week we listen to experts talk about different lifestyle changes that can be made to help your overall health, and we’re also challenged each week to set SMART goals around those principles.
Do you remember learning about SMART goals in high school or college? If not, here’s a quick refresher as to what each letter in the acronym stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Basically, setting a SMART goal means you are being, well, smart about it. You’re not setting too high of a goal that cannot really be achieved (at least not right away), and you’re not making it overly complicated or intense.
I think we as Christians could really benefit from setting SMART goals for ourselves in every area of life! For example, I mentioned in my last newsletter about how I have my small group members hold me accountable to specific goals for each week. All the ladies in our group are asked to set spiritual goals for the week, and then we follow up with each other throughout the week to see how we’re doing. This isn’t a legalistic ritual, but a way that we can encourage and challenge each other to be growing! We also use this as an opportunity to remind each other to have grace for ourselves when we “fail.” God has lavished His endless grace on us who believe in Christ Jesus, and not completing one or two (or even fifty!) goals can never negate that.
I just finished week 5 of the 12-week Pivio program, and I have been so encouraged by the results I’m seeing because I keep getting challenged to set SMART goals around areas of my life like rest, daily activity, healthy eating, stress management, etc. I’ve also been encouraged by a spiritual goal I set for myself during this 12-week class. One of the main pillars they teach is to eat plant-based, whole foods. So far, I’ve been able to stick to that which has been an amazing accomplishment (and I have been feeling better overall!). However, the spiritual goal I set with that was to think on Jesus as the Bread of Life every time I crave something sugary, salty, or “bad” for me. I’ve also tried to keep thinking on the truth of Jesus being the only One who satisfies me when I miss my morning coffee or that latte I usually reward myself with. Just like fasting is a discipline that helps us turn our attention to our need for the Lord, this new way of eating and drinking has helped me seek to be more focused on Jesus as my only comfort and hope in this life, rather than tasty food or a sugary drink.
While I’m definitely not saying that creating SMART goals is a God-given, biblical mandate, I want to be a testimony of how God has been growing me through focusing on setting goals to please Him more. As Christians, we should always be seeking to grow to become more like Christ, and I think using our time and efforts in all areas of life helps us do so. The greatest wisdom comes from God’s Word alone, and I’ve been encouraged by the Scriptures from today in how to think about planning and goal-setting. I hope and pray this will be an encouragement and challenge for you to see that you are able to change and keep growing by the power of God living in you.
I want to leave you with these verses from Romans 8, that talk about the power we have to not live according to our old ways of sin and the flesh anymore because of His Spirit in us:
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Romans 8:5-11
