The Ultimate Goal Setting Guide: What does the Bible say about setting goals?

It’s the end of a great year and a new year is beginning.  It’s the time for setting goals – personal and professional.  Honestly, sitting down and writing goals has always been a challenge for me.  I have dreams and I know that it is important to have a plan to achieve those.  But I also know the old joke:

“What does God do when we make plans?”. 

“He laughs.” 

So, I did some digging to understand what the Bible says about setting goals.  (I figured it would either give me some motivation or give me an excuse to get out of it.)  Let’s see…  

Include your Bible in your planning sessions.

• Proverbs 16:3: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

• Proverbs 21:5: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

• Luke 14:28-30: “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you...

• Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

• Proverbs 13:4: “A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.”

• Matthew 6:33-34: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day will worry about itself.”

• Proverbs 16:9: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

• Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

• Philippians 4:13: “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

The Bible emphasizes the importance of planning, diligence, and aligning our goals with God’s will. We should ask for the Lord’s guidance in all our plans, from beginning to end.  While it is important to set goals, we can’t worry about the future, because we must trust in Him to provide what we need and what he gives us will be good.  And finally, I can do this (and you can too)!