What are some of your goals in life? You may have a variety of goals: professional goals, educational goals, or financial goals. Many of our goals focus on what we can do or achieve, but how many of our goals are focused on who we are? For example, what are your spiritual goals? Spiritual goals involve your relationship with God. It is essential that you have spiritual goals because life is brief and unpredictable. Spiritual goals enable you to realize what is most important in life and you come to see that the most important things in life are not things.

Life can seem so busy and chaotic at times that it seems like we’re simply reacting to the challenges around us. Are we taking a proactive stance life or do we seem to drift along simply responding to the next crisis? The tyranny of the urgent can keep you from achieving God’s best for your life. If you don’t make the time to create the life that you want, you’re going to spend time dealing with a life you don’t want. Goals can help keep you focused and they provide a proper sense of priorities. The Apostle Paul demonstrated a single minded focus as he revealed his life goal to the Philippians,

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)

The word “know” denotes an experiential knowledge. Paul was not content to simply know about Jesus, but He had an earnest desire to know the fullness of God. Paul sought to know the person of Christ. You will come to know the living Word of God as you invest time in the written word of God. He also wanted to know the power of His resurrection. He was describing the power that would enable him to overcome sin in his life. Do you know that power in your life when you face challenges?

Finally, Paul wanted to know know the passion of Christ. This does not refer to suffering for Christ, but rather suffering with Christ. Paul wanted to experience the crucifixion of his fleshly desires so that the life of Christ would be evident in his life. The context reveals that Paul’s desire was to be free from sin in his life and experience his union with Christ. Is that your desire?

Goals not only help you envision a better future but they change your perception of reality in the present. When you have the right long-term goals, they can keep you from becoming frustrated by short-term problems. Have you identified your spiritual goals? Seneca teaches us, “When a man does not know what harbor he is headed for, no wind is the right wind.” Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination. Remember that everything you do now determines your future.

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

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