goal

How to Make FAITH Goals Rather Than SMART Ones

wirting goals_16732976_sFaith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. –Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

Goals and God, do they mesh? The short answer is, Oh, yes, they do! The worldview for goal setting is the use the S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time sensitive) method. The aim of this is to make sure that a person set goals that are realistic and that they can achieve. Unfortunately, SMART goals leave no need for God because these goals are set based on a person’s natural ability to achieve it. Don’t get me wrong, I am not knocking this method of goal setting. It helps you to think through what you really want to achieve in a methodical or logical manner. To me, that’s good.

S.M.A.R.T. goals have their place especially if you are new to goal setting but even for those who’ve been setting goals for a long time. You can find this method beneficial too if you feel intimidated by the idea of writing out and seeing your dreams laid out before you because it breaks the process into small steps. But as a Christian, when you set goals being S.M.A.R.T. about them can be a hindrance to God’s best for you.

How’s that?

S.M.A.R.T. goals are specific and maybe too specific in that you may not make room in your mind for anything greater than the amounts, times, places, people that you’ve identified in your goals. In other words, you can make these S.M.A.R.T. method mistakes (1) setting your goals too low or (2) wanting to accomplish them too quickly. You likely would overestimate what you can do in a year and underestimate what you can do in ten.

I like the idea of being specific, and that’s naturally me. But I’ve learned that when you do this you can become so bogged down with the specifics that you don’t see anything more or less than the goal you’ve created. But what if God wants more for you that you’ve determined?

Consider this: Instead set big goals with God for your life and spend the rest of your life going after them.

S.M.A.R.T goals are said to be achievable and realistic. Achievable by whom – You? Realistic to whom – the world standards? When you set goals that fall into this two categories, therein lies a problem. The goal is all dependent on you and not the Lord. First off, that places a lot of the burden on you to perform. Secondly, there is no reliance on God to help you. Thirdly, you miss the opportunity to ask God to show you His plans for you and help you craft then according to His will.

So enough said about S.M.A.R.T. goals. I like using the method but keep in mind the limitations for you and me as Christians.

Now, what I want to propose to you or challenge you to do is to set F.A.I.T.H. (Focused, Audacious, Inspiring, Transforming, and Hopeful) goals. Goals that will be require faith not in your ability to achieve them but in God’s ability to achieve them for you. I want you to set goals that will stretch your faith not in yourself but in God, in His word and in His ability.

So here is what I think F.A.I.T.H. goals should look like…

FOCUSED

A focused goal directs your attention or efforts to a specific task that is measurable and time-bound. A goal is a dream with a deadline.

These are S.M.A.R.T. goal setting aspects that are still needed. Why? When God works in you, through you, with you and for you to help you achieve your goals, you need to know what they look like so that when you receive the blessing you can clearly identify God’s handiwork and give Him all the glory for what He has done.

AUDACIOUS

This is where F.A.I.T.H. goals become interesting. An audacious goal will take you outside your comfort zone and inside the realm of God possibilities. Goals like these require you to be bold, daring, fearless, and highly inventive. This requires outside the box thinking that doesn’t conform to the norm for conforming sake. When your goals are audacious you take bold steps but with faith in God that He will reward your efforts.

Therefore be audacious! Stop thinking inside the box and stop the negative arguments against yourself and your goals. Let the size of your God determine the size of your goal. Don’t limit God by small thinking!

Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us. –Ephesians 3:20

INSPIRING

More specifically, faith goals are God’s inspired goals. These goals produce feelings or thoughts towards that which is kingdom oriented. They build confidence in you – not in your ability but in God ability to help you do what you need to do and in His awesome power to perform a great work in your life that you’re not capable of alone. When you have F.A.I.T.H. goals you are inspired by the belief in a better future.

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. –Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

TRANSFORMING

No matter where you are in your Christian walk, you would have realized by now that God is at work in you to change you and others into better His image and likeness. So whenever you set F.A.I.T.H. goals aim to impact others in your sphere of influence. The beauty of goal setting is that it doesn’t end after you have put it in writing. There is more involved. The journey to achieve your goals is a journey in which you and others will see transformation in your perspective, your character and other areas of your life. You will with God’s help know Him more and make Him known to others. You will become more like Christ. In the midst of the goal setting and goal getting, you should be kingdom-focused and kingdom driven. Therefore, be the light and the salt of the earth while accomplishing your goals.

HOPEFUL

F.A.I.T.H. goals give you a hope and a future that are good and exciting to look forward to. They will give you the impetus to get up and go in the morning. They will spur you on when the going gets tough. They will keep your eyes on the prize (particularly I you review them regularly). They will inspire you to do good works.

When you create F.A.I.T.H. goals, you are expressing hope. You are expressing your belief that you will succeed at what you are about to do. In reality, goals are statements of faith or statements of hope. When you set an F.A.I.T.H. goal you believe that God will help you to accomplish it.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. –Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

I hope that this post in inspire and challenge you to set your goals full of FAITH in the Almighty God. As you go through the goal setting process and as you work on this through the year, as yourself, “Will this require me to have faith in God?” Matthew 9:29, Jesus said, “According to your faith let it be to you.” Your faith determines what you receive or achieve in this life. God works with your faith. God acts on your behalf based on your faith. And it pleases Him when you have faith in Him. So remember, how much He does in your life have a lot to do with how much you believe He can do in your life. Your F.A.I.T.H. goals make that statement, “Lord, I have faith in you to accomplish…”

My friend, as you take this journey to dream great dreams. The question isn’t who you think you are but who do you think God is. Create F.A.I.T.H. goals to speak to the greatness of your God. God bless you!

It’s not too late to start setting F.A.I.T.H. goals and living out God’s success in you. I created the Make Your Year A Living Success Goals Workbook out of a desire to have a goal setting process with a Christian perspective. I hope you’ll get a copy and start the road to living successfully in Christ.

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Your Dream is Not Denied

live your dreams_12077915_s[Tweet “Ever felt like your dream is taking too long to become reality?”] Does it seem like the promises of God are so far away or never reaching?

Recently I was feeling a bit low and began to talk to God about some projects I have been working at for a while that seem not to be bearing the kind of results of wanted. I was also reflecting on the past and wondering if there were areas I could have worked on more diligently to achieve my goals faster. The bottom line is I was wonder why some of my dreams were taking longer to become real than I wanted them to. I was trying to figure out how I could move things along faster. I wanted results and was being quietly impatient before God.

As I reflected on the matter during my prayer time, the Lord reminded me, [Tweet “Your dream is not denied. Delay is not denial.”]  Although the promises of God seem far away, I was being gently and repeatedly reminded that because something takes long to happen doesn’t mean that God has denied it. In other words, it’s just a matter of time. Or in the process of time, what I am seeking will become a reality.

We don’t like waiting no matter how strong we are in the Lord. Waiting can be hard. At times we are patient in the process but at other times we wonder in our hearts, “Lord, when?” or “Lord, how much longer must I wait?”

Today, be encouraged that waiting does mean that God won’t come through for you. However, He will do just what you desire (Ps. 21:2) and more at the right time. During the waiting season we just need to keep ourselves occupied and get ourselves ready for the promise. Every dream that become real to us, every miracle that we experience involves preparation and opportunity.

I took time to study the word and be comforted by the lives of those who waited for the dream. When we think about their lives, they didn’t have hindsight or knew their future; they just had a dream and the faith that it would be fulfilled.

Abraham – believed God for his dream

He was given a wonderful promise – to be the father of many nations. God promised him that because of him all the family of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:1-3). Wow! But he didn’t even have a son at the time. Abraham’s dream was to have his own son. Yet he waited for the promise and God considered him a righteous man for his faith (Gen. 15:1-6). How long do you have to wait? I don’t know. But take strength from Abraham’s life, believe God.

Joseph – Stayed the course to the fulfillment of his dream

Oh, the dreamer or so his family called him. His dreams were a glimpse of a great future and deep within he must have known that one day his dream would become real to all. Even those who mocked him and tried to stop his dream became witnesses to its unfolding (Gen. 45).

People may laugh at your dream. Your dreams may even mock you – that’s when your start second guessing yourself about whether it will happen or not. Your dreams may even cause you to end up where you least expect and cause your hope to fade. But be steadfast like Joseph. When your dream becomes real for all to see, they will glorify God with you.

Jabez – Prayed about his dream

We often look at Jabez’s prayer and think of it a just that – a prayer. I don’t think that one day Jabez just decided to ask God to bless him. He had a dream. He did not want to be known for his name (to be called Pain) but he wanted to be seen as whom he was – an honorable man. He had a dream to be blessed of God and to be blessing. [Tweet “(1 Chron. 4:9-10) His prayer was simply the outward expression to God of his dream.”] Do like Jabez and talk to God about your dream and God will grant your request too.

Be encouraged. Don’t give up hope on your dreams and the promises of God. They will come. Let the word of the Lord comfort you.

Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.    —Joshua 21:45

“Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.          —Joshua 23:14

“Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.                     —1 Kings 8:56

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; [Tweet “The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. —Psalm 84:11”]

[Tweet “Remember, although the dream for your life may seem long in coming; wait for it, it will happen (Hab. 2:2-4).”]

I’d love to hear from you. Please share and encourage others. What are you doing to keep your dream alive? Do you already live your dream?

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