Godly Goals Stretch My Faith

In Matthew 9:29 it says, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” (NIV)

Godly goals are set through faith. The Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). If I want the goals I set to be pleasing to God, then I need to set goals that require faith.

In other words, I must set goals that are too big for me to reach on my own. Godly goals stretch and grow your faith.

When I set and trust God for a big goal, God will work in a big way—and I’ll see my faith grow in a big way. On the other hand, if I state a small goal, then I may not get to see God work in the big ways he wants to and has planned to in my life.

Godly goals stretch my faith. They affirm that I trust God, but they are also statements of how much I trust God. The Bible says, “According to your faith let it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29 NIV).

When I don’t set goals, then my goal is basically to stay the same. “Yikes!”. As a result, my faith will stay the same too.

See how this works: 

When asked, “What’s your goal for your health?” and I say, “I don’t have one,” then my goal is to stay the same.

When asked, “What’s your goal in your relationships?” and I say, “I don’t have one,” then my goal is for them not to get any better.

When asked, “What’s your goal for getting out of debt?” and you say, “I don’t have one,” then my goal is to stay in debt.

When asked, “What’s your goal for your career?” and I say, “I don’t have one,” then my goal is to just drift along.

Goals are a spiritual discipline. They challenge my faith. They develop my character. And they build my hope.

I haven’t believed God until I’ve attempted to do something that can’t be done without his power at work in my life. Godly goals require me to remain dependent on Jesus. And that makes my faith strong!

Today’s verse comes from the last part of a small passage in Matthew 9:27-30. “As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.”

Jesus didn't respond immediately to the blind men's pleas. He waited to see if they had faith. Not everyone who says he wants help really believes God can help him. Jesus may have waited and questioned these men to emphasize and increase their faith. When we think that God is too slow in answering our prayers, consider that he might be testing us as he did the blind men. Do we believe that God can help us? Do we really want his help?