Learning To Exercise Faith By Setting Goals

In review of Proverbs 17:24 it says, “An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions”

Bottom Line:

Aim at what is wise, not at meaningless direction.

What this means to me:

The sensible thing for me would be to keep my eyes on a wise course of action and not drifting off in many meaningless directions.

Unfortunately most of what I do on a daily basis won’t matter in five minutes, much less five years from now. There is a lot a I do that really doesn’t matter.  As I think about fulfilling the purpose God wants me to achieve I have to consider doing what is wise in light of the goal versus pursuing the trivial and less important.

This means I’ll need to decide what really matters and what will last, and then focus on that. Today’s verse reminds me that, “An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions” (Proverbs 17:24 GNT).

Once I’ve figured out what matters most, I should set goals big enough to require faith. Jesus  

tells me in Matthew 9 that he will bless me as much as I want. His blessing depends on the size of my faith. Jesus says, “According to your faith let it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29b NIV).

So God is saying choose your cup, and he’ll fill it. Whether I have a little teacup, a five-gallon jug, or a 100-gallon barrel of faith, God will fill it up according to my faith. How much I trust God determines how much God blesses me.

I exercise faith by setting goals. I set a goal when I say, “God, I believe you’re telling me that you want me to accomplish this by a particular date. It’s really going to stretch me to do it, but I believe this is what I need to do.”

Rick Warren has an acrostic for what a goal set in faith (F.A.I.T.H) is:

Focused: It’s specific, something I can measure.

Attainable: It’s possible and practical. If I set an unrealistic goal, I won’t accomplish it.

Individual: It’s personal. I can’t set goals for others. I have ownership over my own goals, not someone else’s.

Trackable: My goal needs a deadline on them. Without a date on it, it’s not a goal.

Heartfelt: Never set a goal I’m not passionate about, because I’ll never accomplish it without the desire to do so.

Goals will help give life to the dreams I’ve given up for dead. So I should consider taking a look at the dreams I’ve given up on. Add a goal, and see what God can do.