Setting Goals

bu Mike James

For a Christian, the most important goal that can be attained is entering the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). But with any goal you need to set up a plan with specific practices to achieve the goal.

An old saying states, "A journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step." In other words, to accomplish your goals you must complete several smaller tasks in order to achieve the ultimate goal. Let's look at achieving the goal of getting into the Kingdom. As we look at this goal, we will see the major points we will need for achieving any goal.

To get into God's Kingdom, we must first come to an awareness that God is real and that this world is in need of change. Once we determine the reality of God, we will seek to find out what God desires. This will lead us to His Word, where we will learn that we need to repent and be baptized. We will begin to follow God's law and grow in knowledge and understanding about God. This increase in knowledge will lead us to many operative practices like fasting, Bible study, prayer, church attendance, tithing, meditation, evangelism, and good works. Finally, if we stick to our commitment and persevere, despite some pain, we will be resurrected at Christ's Second Coming, and we will attain our goal. That's all it takes. Sounds easy, right? Well, maybe not! Let me now get into the details of what I've just said, and you will be able to find the keys to goal achievement.

Step 1: The first point in your goal achievement plan is having the idea of what you want to accomplish. When we realize as Christians this world is not all it's cracked up to be, we start to ponder a better world. Eventually we learn about God's Kingdom. So, what I would call Step 1 is having some type of vision, an idea that you are passionate about. Without passion it will be hard to sustain the work you will need to complete your goal.

Step 2: The second thing you need is information. You will need to do research. For example, in my Kingdom of God goal, after I realized God was real, I set out to begin learning more about God. This process is still with me to this day and will be till I die. My information-gathering and research led me to the Church of God. Once you figure out what your goal is you need to learn all that you can about how to achieve it.

Step 3: Once you have some information to deal with, you need to set up practices based on the information you have gathered. These practices will be like stepping stones to achieve your goal. This is usually the toughest part. It will take discipline and commitment for you to work on your plan on a continuing basis. Many goals are abandoned because people do not have the stamina to continue to do the tasks they need to on a consistent basis. It's up to you—just do it!

Step 4: Don't forget there will be roadblocks along the way to achieving your goal. Many people are stopped because of unforeseen circumstances. What you can count on is that the achievement of the goal will not always go according to your plan. That's why I would say step 4 is flexibility. If one door closes in your face, don't forget that there are many other doors to try. For a Christian trying to get to the Kingdom, a roadblock could be a recurring sin or doubt about your belief. Others have overcome those same issues. Consult with others to learn what they did. Get some counseling from an elder. Find yourself a detour to the roadblock.

Step 5: The fifth and final step in achieving your goal is accountability. Jesus was accountable to the Father for several things while He lived a human existence. Even though it was tough, Jesus made it through because He went to the Father in prayer to help Him get through the tough times. Being accountable to someone other than yourself can help push you along (Matthew 26:39). You will need a mentor, friend, coach, team, or teacher to help you achieve your goals. Having someone there to talk over the issues and come up with new ideas for the roadblocks will make achieving your goal that much easier.

Another facet of accountability is personal accountability. In achieving your goals an important key could be writing your goals down in a notebook and the practices and processes you are implementing to achieve the goals. This daily awareness on paper will help you stay on point.

Never forget, as we read in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." So, achieve your goals, but don't lose sight of the ultimate goal of entering God's Kingdom.