It’s that time of year when goal-setting takes over as we plan for the year to come!
What Does the Bible Say About Goals and Goal-Setting?
Keeping God (not our hoped-for accomplishments) at the center of our planning is crucial! Here are 22 Bible Verses About Goals to help you keep your eyes fixed on what matters most – Jesus!
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Bible Verses About Goals
What does the Bible say about setting goals? There is actually quite a bit of discussion of goals in the Bible!
The truth is that God WANTS us to be successful in our endeavors – His plans are for us to prosper and have a successful and fruitful future!
But we must understand that our future goals need to honor HIM, not ourselves. When we set goals that help others, we are doing God’s work and, for that, He will pave the way to success!
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
Proverbs 16:3
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3 ESV
When we are focused on reaching goals that are meant to glorify God, He will guide us toward success!
Scripture is filled with verses about goals – setting goals, vision, and goals, and achieving our goals.
This next verse of Scripture about goals reminds us that, even when things seem to go wrong, we should still continue to press forward and work hard towards reaching the goals we’ve set for ourselves.
2 Chronicles 15:7
But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7 NIV
It’s no secret that reaching our goals requires 100% effort on our part. But, more importantly, it requires us to keep Jesus as our focus!
Colossians 3:23
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Colossians 3:23 NIV
1 Corinthians 10:31
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
Philippians 3:14
“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14 ESV
Psalm 37:4-5
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:4-5 ESV
Scripture on Vision and Goals – Before you set a goal, you need to have a vision of where you want to go and plan for how you hope to accomplish it. And are those goals in line with Godly principles?
These Bible verses on vision and goals can help you with that!
Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint but blessed is he who keeps the law. – Proverbs 29:18 ESV
Galatians 5:22-23
A great test to ensure our goals are glorifying God is to see if it aligns with any of the fruits of the spirit:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
Ask yourself “Do my goals align with these?” If so, God will pave the way for me to be successful with this goal!
If you struggle with what God wants you to accomplish this year – just ask Him! Pray about it and He will let you know the direction you should take.
James 1:5
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5 NIV
Luke 14:28
To be successful in anything, you need a plan! You can just “wing it” and expect an overload of success! No! You map out a PLAN for achieving your goal.
Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? Luke 14:28 NIV
Habakkuk 2:2-3
Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald may run with it.
3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come
and will not delay. Habakkuk 2:2-3 NIV
What is your vision? Have you mapped out your plan for reaching the goals you’ve set for yourself this year?
Related: 8 Powerful Steps for Setting Spiritual Goals
Bible Verses About Setting Goals – Another important thing to consider when setting goals – what is your motive for reaching a particular goal?
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Romans 12:2 NIV
This verse of scripture is a great reminder to ensure our motives are pure!
Psalm 37:4
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 NIV
This bible verse about dreaming big is my favorite!
I know that as long as my heart is set on God, I can set big goals and He will create a path for me to reach them!
John 5:30
“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” John 5:30 ESV
Proverbs 15:22
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers, they succeed.” Proverbs 15:22 NIV
We should always seek counsel from God (through prayer) to ensure that we’ve set the goals God planned for us and that we aren’t just setting our own selfish ones.
Bible Verses About Achieving Goals – God wants us to achieve our goals! But it is important that our success is because of Him – not our own efforts. When our goals are to glorify Him (through our works), he literally paved the way for our success!
Ephesians 2:10
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 NIV
God tells us that, when the motives of our goals are to do go works (glorify Him), we will accomplish them because He literally paved the way for our success!
Isaiah 32:8
“But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.” Isaiah 32:8 NIV
Psalm 32:8
“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” Psalm 20:4 NIV
This next Bible verse about achieving goals is important! While God has a plan for us to prosper and reach our goals, WE must be diligent in putting in the work to achieve them!
Proverbs 21:5
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5 ESV
Ephesians 3:20
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” Ephesians 3:20 NIV
We have the power of God within us and, because of that, we can achieve anything according to His plan!
How great is it to know that God has a blueprint for us to prosper and to reach our goals? How great is it that He chooses us to do great things by glorifying Him in our works?
I truly hope these Bible verses about goals have inspired you to go Big and trust God with your future! Don’t let fear or doubt keep you from reaching all He has planned for you.
Related: How to Improve Your Spiritual Health
