By the Way: Advice for would-be goal-setters in 2020

By Weston Lundgren on January 4, 2020.

Like many, I find this to be an ideal time for reflection and a set goals for the new year. You may have made a resolution as well. Perhaps you were looking forward to a year less distracted by technology. Maybe you would like more quality time with the people that you love. It could be making a commitment to yourself to learn that new skill or talent that you’ve put off in the past.

Proverbs 16:9 gives two great bits of advice for any would-be goal-setters in 2020. “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”

First, we need to make and hold our plans with humility. The biblical concept of humility isn’t thinking poorly or even less of ourselves. Humility is thinking rightly about ourselves, especially in our relationship to God and others. In the context of Proverbs 16:9 that means recognizing that there are many things outside of our own control. Even in areas of our life that we do have influence over we almost always have very real limitations that we need to be honest about.

Good goals and plans should stretch us to reach the full potential that God has created us for. Don’t shy away from making ambitious goals, but don’t forget to break those goals down into smaller more achievable steps. A good plan has built-in flexibility to address unexpected failures without throwing in the towel. As you achieve each step this year, take time to celebrate your incremental success and evaluate your ongoing plans to ultimately reach your goal.

We are created in God’s image and therefore have the creative potential to accomplish amazing things. However, we also have potential for spectacular failure. That’s where the second bit of advice in the Proverb shines. God doesn’t just advise or plan our steps, He directs them. If we really want our plans for 2020 to succeed, we need to make sure that our definition of success matches God’s definition. We need to line up our plans with the steps that He is directing.

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Titus 2:11-12

If you are ready to line your plans up with God’s steps for you the good news is that he has already done the heavy lifting through his work on the cross. Salvation isn’t just an insurance policy for eternity, it’s a process that starts now with God empowering us to be transformed into the people he has created us to be.

Weston Lundgren is pastor at GracePointe Community Church, weston@gracepointe.ca