Are you an ambitious goal setter? I’m in your club, though I attend the meetings less often after crossing the threshold on my 6th decade. But part of me can still get excited by goals. I savor the satisfaction of crossing off tasks from a to-do list. Completing several objectives in a short period gives me an endorphin-fueled thrill, a kind of productivity high that’s hard to beat.
But over the years, I’ve learned a few important things about setting goals.
Lesson One: My Goals Should Touch Ground
Goals are more than productivity tools or esteem boosters—they’re mirrors reflecting our desires. Sometimes, they show a heart aligned with God’s Word, ambitiously pursuing ways to glorify Him. At other times, they expose a tendency toward inflated self-perception. The latter reminds me of me.
When I began an entry-level position at a large company, I set an audacious goal for myself: to become a senior executive within a year. Looking back, I realize it would have required either a miraculous brain transplant or a mass resignation of thousands of people for me to achieve that goal. It was, to put it mildly, unrealistic. A desire unfertilized by reality.
Every leader has goals. Without them, effective leadership is impossible. But as Christian leaders, our goals must align with reality and honor God. A small company with ten employees is unlikely to grow to employ half the county in five years. A fledgling church plant will not realistically plant three new churches annually. And no matter how effective our ministry efforts are, we won’t transform nations into the kingdom of God this side of eternity. Setting grounded and God-honoring goals happens when big faith is wedded to sober judgement on gifts.
Lesson Two: My Goals May Be Different than God’s Goals
However, there’s a deeper truth we must face: because we’re imperfect, our goals are imperfect too. Sometimes, we confuse our goals with God’s will, assuming they are one and the same. This can lead to frustration when our desires are thwarted. But God has his own unpublished goals and that frustration may serve a far higher purpose. God can use it to mature us, redirect our paths, or, most importantly, bend our hearts toward submission and obedience.
When our plans are derailed, it’s not a divine punishment; it’s a divine pivot. God may close one door to lead us to a better one, but He’s also interested in refining us through the process. He is less concerned with the size of our accomplishments and more concerned with the shape of our hearts.
Lesson Three: My Goals Should Be Faithfully Declared, But Held Loosely
Ambitious goals are good. But they must be held loosely enough that if God redirects our steps, our faith remains unshaken.
Consider David. After becoming king and securing rest from his enemies, he set his sights on a magnificent goal: to build a temple worthy of glorifying the God of Israel who had been so faithful to him. His goal even received initial prophetic approval. Yet God said, “No.”
David could have been crushed, but instead, he found contentment in God’s better plan. God promised David an everlasting dynasty instead of a temporary structure. (See 2 Samuel 7 for the full story.) David accepted God’s redirection, though his dream remained dear to him for the rest of his life. (See 1 Chronicles 28:11–19.)
We don’t always have a prophet at hand to explain God’s redirections, and that’s okay. We do have His promises. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that God has prepared good works for us to walk in, and 1 Corinthians 15:58 assures us that our labor in the Lord is not in vain.
So yes, leader, set ambitious goals for God’s glory. But anchor your identity and hope not in your achievements but in Him.
Today’s Question
What goals do you have right now? Ask yourself: What would happen to my heart if God did not allow me to accomplish one or all of these?
Prayer
Lord God, thank You that my worth is not attached to human metrics of success. Help me to hold loosely the goals I set and to trust Your plans above my own. Make me ambitious to serve You in every season and circumstance, for the glory of Your name and the good of Your church. Amen.
Photo by Ameer Basheer on Unsplash
