Step by Step with Purpose

“I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize.” Philippians 3:12 (CEV)

Here are three more reasons why goal setting matters.

I need to set goals because they give me the hope I need to keep moving.
Job says, “What strength do I have left that I can go on hoping? What goal do I have that I would want to prolong my life?” (Job 6:11 GW). To keep moving forward, I need to have a goal.

A goal doesn’t have to be big to motivate me. For instance, if I had surgery, my first goal in recovery could be to sit up in bed. Then I might work toward standing up and then later walking down the hallway.

Each of those goals is very small, but they’re all important—because getting from where I am to where I want to be isn’t one big leap. It’s many small steps. A goal doesn’t have to be big to be important—it just has to encourage me to carry on.

I need to set goals because they build my character.
The greatest benefit to my life will not be my accomplishments but rather what happens inside me while I'm moving toward my goal.

God is more interested in my character than he is in my accomplishments. While I'm working on my goal, God is working on me. He is building my character, and that’s what’s going to last for eternity.

That’s why Paul says in Philippians 3:12, “I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize” (CEV). It takes energy, effort, and focus to reach a goal, and the result is that I become more like Christ.

I need to set goals because good goals will be rewarded.
Proverbs 11:27 says, “If your goals are good, you will be respected” (GNT). When I give my life to a good goal, it brings honor and builds a legacy on earth.

But the real reward in setting good goals will come in eternity. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 9:25-26, “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step” (NLT).

Paul was a purpose-driven goal setter. I need to be that, as well, so that I can win the prize that God has prepared for me in heaven.

In summary:

Setting goals is essential for spiritual growth because they provide motivation, build character, and lead to eternal rewards. Even small goals can help me keep moving forward, especially during tough seasons, by giving me hope and direction. As I pursue meaningful goals, God uses the process to shape my character, making me more like Christ. Philippians 3:12 reminds me that reaching my goals takes effort, but it’s through that struggle that transformation happens. Good goals not only earn respect here on earth but also lead to eternal rewards, as I live with purpose and pursue the prize God has prepared for me in heaven.