Week 7: Healthy Goals
Opening verse:
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV - For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
1 minute pause
Open in prayer
Discussion
Goals help us get from where we are to where we want to be later. They provide clarity for us on what important steps we need to take moving forward. The Bible says: “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” Proverbs 21:5 NLT. As Christians, we also understand the necessity to invite God into our plans. Sometimes we may set a goal that we believe is the best goal at that time. But after much prayer, we might revise that goal as a result of what we believe God wants us to do. The Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV.
Transformation is our direction
As Christians, our goals are intended to help us transform both mentally and spiritually. Up until this point in our journey of mental wellness, we’ve unpacked the areas in our emotions, thoughts and values where we want to invite God to transform us. As we continue to forge ahead in our spiritual journey, spiritual transformation is a direction we look forward to.
Healthy goals
If we’re not careful, we can look at our goals as the “end-result”, the destination. For those who are more high achievers, there’s a danger of desiring to accomplish goals for the sake of feeling successful. For those who feel inadequate or helpless, there’s a danger of falling into despair when we don’t meet our goals.
Because of this, a healthy goal is defined as the following:
“The planning of a set of steps that consistently over time points us toward long term transformation.”
Long term transformation doesn’t happen immediately. Setting healthy goals is less about checking off a box and more about taking a journey.
The process for setting healthy goals
Below is a framework of setting healthy goals for you to reflect on and use for future goal setting. Take a few minutes to ponder each part of the framework. As you do, reflect on which one you think you feel you’re most comfortable with, and which one might feel more challenging to practice.
1. Planning
You invite God into your preparation to reveal how he wants to transform you
2. Next Steps
You identify practical efforts you can make to start the transformational process
3. Consistency
You endure through your efforts even though you experience disappointments or difficulties
4. Time
You prioritize moments for reflecting during defined intervals of time
5. Pointing
You maintain a direction-mindset which guides you forward regardless of obstacles you face
6. Longterm
You view your goals as a journey with lessons and opportunities to experience
7. Transformation
You recognize that transformation occurs in different seasons at different speeds
Identifying your unhelpful beliefs
What part of setting healthy goals comes most naturally for you?
What part of setting healthy goals feels most difficult?
Read: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV.
What do you think God is making known to you when it comes to setting healthy goals?
What does all of this mean to you? How do you want to respond?