Goals -- friend or foe?

I realize that some people like goals and others find goals repulsive--I like them. Goals are motivating and give me a means to measure progress and accomplishment. I am not an obsessive goal-setter, but they offer me a sense of encouragement. Goals for the marathon? Finish in four hours or less and weigh no more than 175 on race day.

The risk inherent in setting goals is that I may not reach them. If I finish the marathon in 4:08 or weigh 178 at the start will it be a failure? Not at all! The best goals are guideposts, not minimum acceptable standards. At the same time, good goals are also measurable along the way. I can track my race pace progress by extrapolating my training pace and I can watch my weight shift throughout the training. That way I can get positive feedback along the way, not just in October.

Most Christ-followers I know have never given any thought to specific goals related to their Christ-following. They have general thoughts like, "I want to be a better person," or "I want to be more loving." But how do you measure that? Some have said that spiritual goal-setting presumes on God by declaring what I will and will not do. (Words of non-goal-setters.)

I have found that I accomplish more when I set goals than when I do not--even if I do not reach the goal. If I have a goal to read the Bible through in a year using a scheduled program (see navpress.com/Assets/PDF/Product/Sample/1576839753.pdf for a sample) then I find that I will read more than if I have no plan at all. If it works for Bible reading, how about other aspects of spiritual growth? Prayer, fasting, Scripture memory, spiritual virtues, ...

Why not try setting a spiritual development goal in just one area--try Bible reading first--and see where you are a month from now? Persist in the Journey!