Without goals, you cannot expect to be any different this year than you were last year. The default in your life will always be more of the same.

Long-term goals keep us moving toward our purpose and keep us from being discouraged by short-term setbacks.

We all have setbacks. You deal with them every day, but those setbacks won’t slow you down if your focus is on something you’re trying to achieve down the road. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 9:26, “I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air” (NCV).

You don’t want to spend the next year hitting the air. But just setting goals isn’t the answer. God doesn’t appreciate every goal you set!

These are the kinds of goals that God blesses: 

• Goals that bring God honor: The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (NIV).If you’ve got the right motivation, anything can be done for God’s glory.
• Goals that are motivated by love: God is far more interested in why you’re doing something than what you’re actually doing. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 16:14,“Do everything with love” (NLT).
• Goals that fulfill one of God’s purposes for your life: God put you on Earth to do five things: worship him, be a part of his family, become like Christ, serve him, and share your life message. If your goals help you fulfill one of these purposes, then God will bless them.
• Goals that are set in faith: Your goals must be big enough that they’ll require God’s help to fulfill. The Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).
• Goals that are achieved by God’s power: You will not stick to your goals without God’s power. You won’t get healthy on your own. You won’t improve your marriage on your own. The goals that really matter in life can only be achieved with God’s power, not your own.

Take a look at the goals you’ve set for the future. Are they the kind of goals that God blesses?