What is God’s Plan for Achieving Your Goals?

One thing the pandemic afforded us was plenty of time to pray and seek God’s plan for our lives. When we do, we find that setting and achieving goals is a biblical idea.

“Goals are not only absolutely necessary to motivate us. They are essential to keep us alive. -Robert Schuller

God’s Plan for Your Goals

The third chapter of the book of Philippians is often used as a teaching point when discussing the topic of goal setting.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Dictionary.com defines the word “press” in this passage as:

1. To act upon with steadily applied weight or force.
2. To move by weight or force in a certain direction or into a certain position.
3. To exert weight, force, or pressure.
4. To bear heavily, as upon the mind.
5. To urge or entreat strongly or insistently.
6. To emphasize or propound forcefully; to insist upon.
7. To plead with insistence.
8. To urge onward; hasten.
9. To push forward.

As you can see, pursuing goals is a relatively aggressive activity. It certainly isn’t a passive process. Nor is it a set it and forget it thing either.

Apostle Paul says that to achieve our goals successfully, we have to engage in a full-out active pursuit with all the determination we can muster.

We have to give it all we’ve got and not let up until we see our goals come to pass.

So, let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track let’s stay on it. (Philippians 3:15-16 MSG)

How do we achieve our God-given dreams and goals?

In this passage, God is revealing a concise, step-by-step strategy for reaching your goals and achieving your dreams.

Step 1 – Leave the past behind. In other words, don’t look back. (See Genesis 19:17, the story of Lot’s wife.)

Step 2 – Get clarity on God’s vision for your life.

Step 3 – Commit 100% to God’s plan for your life.

Step 4 – Set SMART goals to achieve your dreams.

Step 5 – Keep your eyes on your goals.

Step 6 – Be tenacious about achieving your goals.

I’ve got my eye on the goal where God is beckoning us onward – to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. (Phil 3:14 MSG)

What dream has God placed on your heart? Perhaps you can apply Apostle Paul’s teaching to your goals to make that dream a reality.