“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Prov 3:5-6)

I’m a big believer in goal setting. I set goals that span the year, and I’ve learned to break those goals into smaller chunks so that they’re more manageable. Reaching my goals, whether it’s the large ones or the smaller ones along the way, gives me a great sense of accomplishment.

Goal setting is backed by scientific research, and it’s also scriptural. While we won’t find a checklist in the Bible, we do see those in the Bible setting goals and striving for them. Moses’ goal was to lead the Israelites out of slavery and into the Promised Land. John’s goal was to proclaim the coming of the Messiah. And Jesus’ goal was “…to seek and to save the lost” (Lk 19:10).

I believe God created each of us to live with purpose and not to randomly wander through life. Our goals should reflect our walk with him and should be for his glory. We don’t have to be perfect in reaching our goals, but we do need to be faithful in striving for them.

In the past, I’ve struggled to figure out where to start, feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of some of my goals. I thought I had to achieve every goal perfectly. If I got off track, I would give up, realizing that I couldn’t reach the goal as I had first defined it. I was left feeling like a failure. I stopped setting goals for a time because as a perfectionist, I tend to forego a project rather than risk failure if I think I can’t finish properly.

Over time, I’ve come to realize that perfection is the enemy of the good, and working toward the goal is its own reward. I’ve learned that the lessons God has for me are found in the journey along the way, not in the final result. Sometimes, the journey takes me to a destination that I didn’t dream of when I wrote down my goals. But God knew where we were going, and he faithfully helped me reach the destination he had planned for me. He’ll do the same for you.

Dear Jesus, thank you for knowing the destination before we even begin. I pray that you will guide my steps and help me to learn the lessons you have for me along the way. May you be glorified in everything I do. Amen.