Setting goals is important to me because it helps me maintain structure and focus from day to day. I personally believe as a Christian that goal setting works to our benefit. However, we must be careful that our desires, as we set goals, are aligned with God’s purpose and will for our lives. We live in a world that pushes money over everything and to center our goals around what will get us into the highest tax bracket. But what if God’s plan for you is to live a modest life? Now, don’t get me wrong because it is certainly not a sin to obtain wealth. The point I’m trying to drive home is that not everyone will be rich on this side of Heaven and that’s okay.

When our treasures are set in Heaven, our goals can be written in alignment with our preordained steps that are ordered by God. We don’t have to ask an artificial robot what our goals should be when we have the Almighty God’s Perfect Will already written out for us. All we have to do is obey it by yielding to His Will daily. This can seem like a hard task when our focus is off which is why I emphasized earlier the importance of making sure our desires align with that of the Bible. The flesh lusts after so many things that will surely fade and lose its value. The only permanent satisfaction and priceless achievement will solely come from Christ alone.

So as you close this week and begin to plan for a new week, let this be your reminder. End your week reflecting on where your focus was placed majority of the week. If you have started your own family, did you prioritize spending quality time with them or speaking to them? Our families should be our number one goal because the structure of family is one of God’s most powerful tools and witnesses to share His light in the earth. I am definitely guilty of not prioritizing calling my family and spending time with friends that I consider family but want to change that. If that’s you too, consider this: as you plan your next week, write down one family member you have been meaning to reach out to and one friend that’s been on your mind.

If you have children and rarely spend time with them then put that on your list and the same goes for spouses or parents if you live with them. No amount of money from work, degrees from school, and additional activities or achievements will replace the precious time we lose when we lack prioritizing what God cares about more. God doesn’t want us chasing things more than we are cultivating healthy, fulfilling, and God-filled relationships because this is how His kingdom is multiplied. Who wants to hear a witness from someone who barely talks to the people they say that they love? God didn’t call us to burnout doing church work or striving to gain worldly accolades. He has called us to keep the fire burning for Him. That fire in turn allows us to grow His Kingdom as we tackle the goals that are aligned with His Will.