Goals Built on the Bedrock

Goals for Spiritual Growth

There are many reasons why Christians should make goals:

1. We are called to CONTINUAL SPIRITUAL GROWTH.  “. . . take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . . . (2 Peter 3:17-18 ESV). This verse warns us not to fall astray with those who do not seek the law of the Lord. Rather, we must pursue growth in grace and understanding of Jesus. By setting goals for spiritual growth, we acknowledge and examine where we are right now, we look ahead to where we are called to be, and we set goals to see growth in our faith. By growing in our faith, we not only experience a deeper relationship with our Savior, but we are better able to reflect Him, knowing Him better. Charles Spurgeon said “The Bible is not the light of the world, it is the light of the Church; but the world does not read the Bible, the world reads Christians; “Ye are the light of the world.”” When we make goals to grow in our faith, we seek our Savior and become more like Him, fulfilling our calling to be the light to the world. 
2. We are called to PARTICIPATE IN THE WORK GOD HAD PREPARED FOR US TO DO.  “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10 ESV). It is true that we do not know the details of what God has planned for our lives. However, we know that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, live out the light of the gospel that others may know Jesus, and commit ourselves fully to the Lord. God has gifted each of us in different ways to serve Him and His kingdom. We must steward our gifts and the time He has given us to do so. Not sure what your gifts are? Ask the Lord to show you where he is calling you to serve, then take a step of faith! Begin serving others in many different ways and see what truly blesses people and brings joy. 

God-Centered Growth: How to Set Goals 

How can we make goals that will lead to real growth in our lives? 

• Begin with prayer. Ask God to show you areas in your life He wants to grow. There are so many ways each of us require growth, but allow God to lead your focus and be attentive to His voice. 
• Think deeply about what your goals entail and your motives. What will growth in different areas look like? What is the desired change? Why do I want to grow? Psalm 73: 25-26 reads “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (ESV). Our ultimate desire is our Savior, our growth is to have more of Jesus, and become increasingly like Him. 
• Make a plan and set aside dedicated time to learn and grow. This may look like spending time in the Bible in areas that speak to your goals, prayer times talking to God about them and asking for His help. 
• Finally, accountability is an excellent tool to fuel your commitment to growth and your goals. Get together with a friend and share your goals for the year. Meet frequently to share how you are growing, areas of struggle, and encourage one another. Christians are called to community, we are not left to grow alone. 

Building Goals on the Bedrock

Many times we make ambitious goals without much thought or prayer beforehand. Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain (ESV). Our goals may stem from good intentions and have good outcomes, but how often do we succeed in them? Unless the Lord is the one working in us and growing us, we labour in vain. Invite the Lord to direct your growth this year and build up your life according to His will. Goals built on the bedrock of God are goals that we will see fulfilled. We do not need to plan our every step this year. We need only to look to the architect of our lives and set goals to follow His blueprint. 2025 is full of opportunity. Seek the Lord in all you do and He will build your life for your good and for His glory. It is our prayer for each staff member, student, and family at Faith West to experience fruitful growth in the Lord in 2025, and that our school would be a fertile place where the Lord’s work would flourish!