{"id":584,"date":"2023-11-20T06:29:28","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T06:29:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/?p=584"},"modified":"2023-11-20T06:29:28","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T06:29:28","slug":"goal-setting-with-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/goal-setting-with-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Goal Setting With God"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Some people set New Year&#8217;s resolutions, others set goals. Some people do it at the end of the year in preparation for the new year, while others choose to set goals throughout the year.<\/p>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t matter what words you use to describe it or how excited you are while doing it, it\u2019s normal to have your enthusiasm for goals fizzle out over time.\u00a0 You\u2019re not alone. Most people never follow through with their New Year resolutions or goals!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do people really want positive change in their lives?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>But of course they do! All people want their lives to change for the better.\u00a0 Desire isn\u2019t the problem.\u00a0 We all have lots of desire. It\u2019s usually the diligence that\u2019s lacking.<\/p>\n<p>Isn\u2019t this true of our very faith in Christ?\u00a0 If we were not diligent in keeping our eyes on Jesus we could easily grow tired of doing the right thing and just fall right back into our old life.<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding: 56.25% 0 0 0; position: relative;\"><iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/videomanapp.com\/frame\/8n8xo\/\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><strong>What would happen if&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We stopped making prayer a part of our day?<br \/>\nWe let dust gather on our bible?<br \/>\nStopped going to church?<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s pretty easy to allow ourselves an extra hour of sleep instead of making going to church a priority.\u00a0 It always starts out as something small like that but later down the road, we find it more difficult to make the right choices.\u00a0 Often times we allow ourselves to focus on the day in and day out while eternity grows a bit more fuzzy with each passing day.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The bible is overflowing with reminders to keep our eyes on the prize.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201c<sup class=\"versenum\">\u00a0<\/sup>Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.\u2019 Hebrews 10:23, NIV<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In Hebrews, Paul went on to tell story after story of real people from the bible who had to pursue goals every day of their lives without ever being able to literally see them.\u00a0 They had to run a race with no finish line in sight.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Then he goes on to say\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cTherefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.\u201d Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV<\/em><\/p>\n<p>These are verses that encourage us to hold tight to Jesus so that we will not stray far away from our faith and grow weak spiritually. Below are some questions you\u2019re encouraged to take a few minutes to stop and reflect over. Grab your journal or a piece of paper and jot down your thoughts and feelings.<\/p>\n<p>How do you feel about the life you are living and where you are going?<br \/>\nHave you ever stopped to think about where you are going with your life?<br \/>\nWhat are your goals, plans, and dreams?<br \/>\nWhat are you doing today to bring you closer to these dreams?<\/p>\n<p>Lives are not lived one life at a time; they are lived one moment at a time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A goal isn\u2019t a goal until you have a plan! <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Have you ever sat down and created a plan to achieve your most important goals? If not, now is a good time to start.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A goal isn\u2019t a goal unless you are working towards it! <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>How many tangible, measurable steps have you taken toward making your plans or goals a reality?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Everything you do in life does one of three things\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>It moves you closer to your goal<\/li>\n<li>It takes you farther away from your goal<\/li>\n<li>It leaves you right where you at.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-587 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/action-steps.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/action-steps.jpg 512w, https:\/\/terryphong.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/action-steps-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/terryphong.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/action-steps-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>We don\u2019t become what we want to be through HUGE decisions<\/em>. <strong>We become who we want to be through daily actions and many times those are tiny actions that we take.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We don\u2019t wake up one day acting just like Jesus, do we? No, but day by day we slowly but surely act more like Him:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>We\u2019re nice to the check-out lady who takes too much time with our groceries.<\/li>\n<li>We leave a large tip for the waitress with worn-out shoes even though she forgot the mayo we asked for.<\/li>\n<li>We faithfully volunteer our time at church even if we don&#8217;t get the desired position.<\/li>\n<li>We give our vacation money to a bigger cause than ourselves.<\/li>\n<li>We bite our tongues when someone is mean to us.<\/li>\n<li>We keep our mouths shut about our frustration with our boss to everyone but God.<\/li>\n<li>We listen attentively when our five-year-old retells his \u2018best ever\u2019 day for the third time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These and a thousand other daily actions that occur over time will reflect the changes that are taking place inside of us.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are these little action steps or changes easy?\u00a0 Not by a long shot! Even some of the smallest changes we attempt to make will usually involve some kind of pain, frustration, or sacrifice on our part.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Pain is usually the result of the internal dialog that takes place.\u00a0 When we\u2019re used to letting our flesh rule in an area \u2013 it just plain doesn\u2019t like it when we expect it to change.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>For example:<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong> When you make up your mind that you\u2019re going to get a raise at work this year.\u00a0 You decide that you\u2019re going to start getting to work early and always offer to stay late when it\u2019s needed.\u00a0 You\u2019re going to always do a little more than is expected and really make an impact with your boss.\u00a0 You\u2019re going to prove once and for all that you\u2019re the one who deserves a promotion.<\/p>\n<p>Only getting to work early means getting up earlier \u2013 and your body doesn\u2019t want to get up fifteen minutes earlier. Also, staying late means missing your favorite TV show, and doing more than is expected of you means giving up chatting with coworkers during your downtime.<\/p>\n<p>The decision you made to make a big impact is great but it\u2019s the little daily actions of follow-through that are going to make it really happen.\u00a0 You have to do it even though it hurts.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Frustration comes as the result of something external.\u00a0 We may have our internal situations well in hand but run into some kind of roadblock that we have no control over and it&#8217;s over!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Taking our career ambitions as an example again, we\u2019ve decided that we\u2019re going to work harder than ever before and make a profound impression on our boss \u2013 only our boss gets a promotion and that guy we can\u2019t stand and who doesn\u2019t like us just got his old job.<\/p>\n<p>Will making those everyday decisions be a little harder now? You betcha. Thankfully we don&#8217;t have to do it all on our own strength, the Holy Spirit will help us to make these small changes when we put our trust in God. <em>Philippians 4:13 &#8211; I can do all this through him who gives me strength.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Any big change worth making will always offer a Season of Disillusionment for the one attempting the change.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Think about it in relation to any big goals that you\u2019ve set. You set a goal with your eyes on the Prize. You tackle the first day with the Prize sharp in your mind. You face the next day well. The next day is ok. The next day is a little harder. The fifth day\u2026 you have less of the Prize in your mind and more of how hard yesterday was. On the sixth day, you\u2019re really losing steam. On the seventh day, you can\u2019t even remember what the Prize was in the face of all this discomfort and you just want to give up!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sometimes we get disillusioned because we don\u2019t get the immediate and dramatic feedback that we hoped for.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>For example:<\/em> Think about a difficult relationship that you might be dealing with.\u00a0 Maybe it\u2019s your wife or husband and the two of you have been arguing and nitpicking each other for months or even years and you make up your mind that come hell or high water, you\u2019re going to change.\u00a0 You\u2019re going to be the one who chooses to just bite your tongue and say something nice no matter what he says.<\/p>\n<p>You make it through the first day. You make it through the second day. You make it through the third and now you\u2019re patting yourself on the back for all the opportunities to snap back that you\u2019ve resisted. You make it through the fourth day. You make it through the fifth day. You\u2019re feeling pretty darn good about yourself, and you figure that he has to have noticed that something about you has changed \u2013 and then at the dinner table he asks \u2018what it is that you want, he knows you must want something or you wouldn\u2019t be so darn nice\u2019<\/p>\n<p><strong>This is your moment of potential Disillusionment!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You could get offended and stomp away. You could scowl at him and refuse to answer. Or you could just say, \u201cHoney, I\u2019m really glad you noticed.\u00a0 I\u2019ve just been trying to show you a little more respect and care.\u00a0 You\u2019re my spouse and I love you that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you only make changes when you get positive feedback from people then you\u2019re never going to be the person that God has called you to be because some of what God will call you to do won\u2019t be popular with people.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the most important changes that need to take place in your life will stop the pattern of negative consequences you\u2019ve grown used to\u2013 but never bring about any great rewards that you\u2019d be about to point out to anyone else.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the most valuable changes that will take place in your heart will only ever be noticed by one or two people \u2013 such as your spouse or a best friend.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the most important goals for your life are between you and God only.\u00a0 No one else knows about them or would have any idea that the goal has been achieved.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you NEED greater feedback than what God can offer you \u2013 you will never do what it takes to be what He has called you to be.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>God gave you life and he appointed to you a number of days and only He knows how many of those days you have left. You have a purpose on this earth. You have a purpose and you have to pause every once in a while and answer the question \u201cWhere am I going in my life?\u201d And \u201cAm I fulfilling the purposes that God created me for?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Here is one of my all-time favorite quotes \u2013 unfortunately the author is unknown to me: <strong><em>&#8220;You don&#8217;t have to be more than God created you to be &#8211; <u>but stop being less<\/u>.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To live a life that falls short of our God-given potential is sad. I don\u2019t believe that we\u2019re going to face God and get a lecture on everything that we could have done and didn\u2019t do \u2013 no, I believe that we will see our true reflection in His eyes. The only way to really be all that God created us to be is to see ourselves as He sees us.<\/p>\n<p>We have to learn to see ourselves as overcomers instead of excuse-makers. We have to find the courage to do the right thing because He affirms it whether someone else does or not. Imagine for a moment that your life will be recorded in the annals of history \u2013 like that of Moses or Abraham or Paul.\u00a0 What will they write about you?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Will they tell the story of a mother or father?<\/li>\n<li>Will they tell the story of a widow redeemed?<\/li>\n<li>Will they tell the story of a person who prayed?<\/li>\n<li>Will they tell the story of a person who gave it all?<\/li>\n<li>Will they tell the story of a person who led an army?<\/li>\n<li>Will you be the person whose faithful support upheld the man of God who brought God\u2019s truth to a nation?<\/li>\n<li>Will you be mentioned as a peacemaker?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve reached the end, I hope you don\u2019t feel bad about any goals you\u2019ve set and haven\u2019t accomplished \u2013 again, as mentioned in the beginning, it\u2019s normal for all of us to lose enthusiasm and not achieve goals. This also isn\u2019t intended to make you feel bad if you think you\u2019re not living your God-given goals.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, it\u2019s meant to be a source of encouragement! And I hope you\u2019ll use this as a stepping stone \u2013 stop and reflect on the questions, especially the last set. Pull out a journal (or piece of paper and pen), your Bible, and set aside a good 30 minutes to get quiet and spend some time in prayer and meditation with God. He\u2019ll guide you and help you see any areas of improvement that need to be made.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some people set New Year&#8217;s resolutions, others set goals. Some people do it at the end of the year in preparation for the new year, while others choose to set goals throughout the year. It doesn\u2019t matter what words you use to describe it or how excited you are while doing it, it\u2019s normal to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":586,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finances","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/v\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/v\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/v\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/v\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/v\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=584"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/v\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":588,"href":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/v\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions\/588"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/v\/wp\/v2\/media\/586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/v\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/v\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terryphong.com\/v\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}