Why you should set God-sized goals

When you look to the future, you set goals.You set goals for where you will vacation, what you will accomplish this year for work, or how much money you will save.In the midst of all this goal-setting, an inner voice will often speak. Do this. Go there. Help that person. Give your money to this cause. Not every decision is generated by an inner voice, but if God is living inside of you, he will speak and shape the goals that you make.I remember when I decided to start writing this blog. I had pondered over and over whether it was a good idea or not. Then, during a week when I was considering starting to write, I heard a sermon in which a prolific writer talked about how writing isn't motivated by feelings, but it's something you do because you decided to do it. He told his own journey of how he started writing. I sensed God speaking to me to begin to write, even though I knew I wouldn't always feel like it. I felt that the goal of starting the blog was not simply my own, but was inspired by God's Spirit. If you look at the Bible, God was constantly setting goals for people. Noah was given a goal of building an ark. Moses was given a goal of delivering Israel out of Egypt. David was given a goal of becoming king. Peter was given a goal of shepherding the emerging church. Paul was given a goal of bringing the gospel to the Gentiles.God speaks and gives each person a goal, an "end toward which effort is directed," as defined by Merriam-Webster.Last week, we talked about how setting goals without God can limit you in significant ways. This week, I want to outline three ways in which setting goals with God can unlock your potential.

1. God's goals give you a picture of a possible future - Every goal-setting book tells you to "think big", to make "big, hairy, audacious goals", to "multiply your goals by 100." But the question that looms in all of our minds when we make these types of goals is, "Is this outcome really even possible?" When God gives you a goal, he always ties it to a vision of the future that he has seen himself. He knows it's possible, and so even if it seems big, hairy, or audacious, you can walk forward into that goal with boldness and faith, knowing that you can actually do it.
2. God always attaches a promise to every goal that he gives you - Moses was told to go deliver Israel out of Egypt, but God's goal for him was given in light of his promise that he would take Israel into the promised land (Exodus 3:17). When God gives you a goal, he will give you a promise. Faith and goals are connected, as I mentioned here. Your faith-level rises when you get a promise of what God is going to do to help you achieve your goal.
3. God's goals are always done in partnership - When Moses met with God at the burning bush, God explained who would do what. God told Moses to ask Pharoah to let him take a 3-day journey into the wilderness with Israel's elders (Exodus 3:18). God said he would perform signs and wonders (Exodus 3:20). You do your part, and God does his part. Any goal that is completed in partnership with God is going to go over much better than something you try to get done yourself.

The result of setting goals with God is a "God-sized" goal. It isn't always large. Sometimes it's smaller than the goal you would have set using your own ambition. But it's not small either. It's bigger than the goal you would have set in your unbelief. The key is to hone in on the goals that God has for you, so that you can maximize your kingdom productivity.Can you tell a story of a goal that God gave you?