Goals

Happy post day y’all! Today I wanted to focus on goals. We are nearly a month into the new year. Have you written your goals for the year? If so, have you started working towards them? If not, is that not your thing? Or are you not sure of what to write?

One thing I look forward to at the end of each year is writing my goals for the next one. Although, I have to be honest for the last few years, goal writing hasn’t been that exciting. I’ve set goals and written things down. But, by then end of the year, they have not been met and it’s quite discouraging.

After the year we all had in 2020, I wanted to approach my goal setting differently this time. I’ve taken my time this year. A societal norm is to have this done by the beginning of January or by end of the previous year. I wanted to take my time and involve God more in my plans. I’ve taken time to to think about it, be realistic, pray, and prepare myself to be flexible. I even completed a Goals + God devotional through the YouVersion Bible app.

Let me take a step back, and talk about being flexible. Just like anything in life, plans change. Things don’t go as we may have hoped, or planned. Heck, look at 2020. Many of us went into 2020 with an idea of how we wanted it to go, but God had an entirely different plan. And the entire world had to adapt, change, and be FLEXIBLE. Flexibility does not come easy for me, but I had to learn that lesson by force last year. When we are setting our goals, there most definitely needs to be some room for flexibility. Life happens and things may not go the way you intended. And if they don’t, it’s ok. Totally ok. God has a different plan (Jeremiah 29:11) and His plans are much better than anything we could come up with (Isaiah 55:8-9).

So as I go forward with 2021, and the years to come, I will strive to include God in on my goals, take my time, pray and be flexible. Please hear me when I say, it’s ok to have ideas and things you want to accomplish. But, also remember to be realistic with those goals, and to be ok if those goals don’t go as you may have planned. And, they may not happen at all. Trust God. Trust His plans. Trust His timing.

11 For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. 9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” - Isiah 55:8-9

Dear Lord, thank You for the free will to make our own decisions and plans. But also, thank You for being able to bring those plans and decisions that didn’t go as planned to You. Also, thank You for interrupting our plans and steering us in the direction we need to be going. Lord, Your word says Your ways are not our ways. And that You have plans for us. THANK YOU, Father. For 2021, please guide us. Please steer us in the way You would have for us to go. Father, have Your way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Steph :)