“He will teach you the way to go as you walk in faith.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 12, 2023
The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:8
This is the time of year when many folks start to think about setting goals for the New Year. However, others think, “Goal setting is unspiritual because it shows a lack of trust. It’s unspiritual to plan.”
Granted, God doesn’t want us to forge ahead in pride without consulting Him for direction. But neither does He want us to sit around without acting, because He’s given us gifts and talents and has also said that we are called to do good works (Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 12:4-8, Matthew 25:14-30).
Forging ahead without seeking God or sitting back and doing nothing can both stem from fear or a lack of faith. However, setting goals and consulting with Him shows that you trust Him.
But can you set goals? There are many ways to approach goal setting. Some people look at the big picture, then break goals down into smaller chunks, and some like to take a looser approach. However, no matter how you set goals, in the process it’s important to consider the total, how God made you.
God created you (and every person on planet Earth) with several parts. Like a pie with separate pieces, each part is critical to who you are; and all these parts must be considered when you set goals.
The five parts of a person include:
Spiritual
Relational
Physical
Financial
Career
If you fail to give each part the proper attention and care as you reach toward goals and God’s purposes and plans for your life, you’ll experience problems because you’ll get out of balance.
For example, because God created you as a spiritual being, He wants you to love Him with your whole heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37-40). This means that your goals must agree with your spiritual convictions and this truth.
If you set goals that conflict with each other in any of the five areas, you can become fragmented emotionally, intellectually, and perhaps physically, and you will lose your joy and enthusiasm.
Additionally, because God also created you to need connection with others, if you neglect the social aspect of your life and become “all work and no play‚” you may experience physical, emotional, social, and spiritual troubles as your life becomes out of balance. It’s never wise to harm your most important relationships in pursuit of any goal. Love is what matters most.
There’s no doubt that God wants you to fulfill the purposes and work for which He has created you. In fact, it’s your calling since He has given you gifts to do so. However, be mindful not to neglect any of the areas that make up who you are so as not to dishonor the Lord, yourself, or others while you do His work.
Finally, remember that the world does not rest on your shoulders. You will make mistakes in setting goals and fulfilling your purpose. It’s OK. Because God wants to see you do His will, He will teach you the way to go as you walk in faith.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (Psalm 32:8).
Prayer
Lord, help me to love you more and more so that I will want to obey you more and more. You deserve all praise and all my obedience and adoration. I love you! Amen.
Application
Google “scriptures about God’s love for me” and then talk with the Lord about His love for you.
Related Reading
Proverbs 28:26; Jeremiah 17:5; Psalm 33:18
Worship Resource
Elevation Worship: I Will Trust
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