Spiritual Goals Worth Pursuing

There is a limit to how much one person can do in a day, month, or year. We can’t get to everything we’d like to because there simply isn’t time enough. For example, choosing to go to the gym now means hanging out with your non-gym friend later.

This makes our choices significant and often difficult. The psalmist says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalms 90:12, NIV). We need to understand how finite we and our days are and make wise choices in light of that knowledge.

Do spiritual goals matter?

St Augustine, an African bishop from the late 4^th and 5^th century, once wrote that we cannot be content unless we praise God because God made us for Himself, “and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.” Spiritual goals are important because our lives find meaning and ultimate fulfillment in God; that’s where we find contentment and our sense of purpose.

When setting your spiritual goals, it matters what your end game is, as that will guide all that you do. If you aim for nothing, you’re likely to hit it, and that sage advice applies in spiritual matters as in most things in life.

Here are a few thoughts to consider as you set and pursue your spiritual goals.

Getting to know God is the spiritual goal that ought to guide all others. If what Augustine wrote is true, until we know God and find our rest in Him, we won’t be content because we’re not connected to our reason for being. Our culture is a restless one, endlessly pursuing things to fill the God-shaped hole within us.

Whatever happiness we find is fleeting, and our pursuit is endless. C.S. Lewis once wrote that “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Lewis’ point is that if we were serious about finding joy, we would chase hard after God, and not the easy substitutes we try to fill ourselves with. Jesus says to His disciples “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3, NIV).

If you want to get to know God, then get to know Jesus Christ, who is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3, NIV).

Getting to know God is supported by a few important habits. These include the following:

Reading your Bible consistently and with understanding.

The Bible often reads like a boring book, but part of why that is lies in our lack of understanding of what’s going on and why it’s happening. The Bible is where you’ll most clearly see Jesus and understand what His whole deal is.

Find yourself a good study Bible, and there are simple but effective commentaries out there that help you understand the context better, as well as reading plans and apps that can help you. Aim to engage with the Bible at least once a day for a few weeks, and it’ll become a good habit.

Trying to put into practice what you’re learning.

Scripture changes us. It teaches us who God is, helps us think more clearly about ourselves and the world, exhorts us toward compassion and joy, encourages us to pray and fellowship with others, enjoins generosity, urges us to pursue and gain wisdom, and so much else.

God wants to transform our minds, hearts, and actions so that we become more like Jesus (Romans 12: 1-2). So, listen carefully to the leading of the Holy Spirit and follow that lead (Galatians 5: 13-26). Trusting God enough to obey Him leads to a deeper understanding of who God is (John 14:21).

You can set a variety of spiritual goals, including:

• Learning how to pray.
• Becoming more consistent with your Bible reading.
• Growing in your ability to control your anger.
• Becoming more secure in your identity in Christ.
• Increasing your boldness to share the gospel with others.
• Having healthier relationships with the people in your life.
• Growing in your freedom in Christ.

As you pursue those goals, remember that the source and ultimate goal of those pursuits is knowing God and growing your delight in Him.

Getting help.

We don’t occupy the same space that other people find themselves in. Perhaps in your situation, you’re struggling to trust God, or perhaps your life is a bit chaotic, and you can’t find time for spiritual pursuits, or maybe you’ve experienced a bereavement and you’re processing how to delight in God in this season. Whatever your situation is, you can find help either through individual counseling or a life coach at Heath Christian Counseling in Texas.

The licensed mental health professionals in Heath, Texas are trained to help you unpack and work through your concerns, and they can teach you how to set and attain your spiritual goals. Whether you’re feeling stuck or unsure how to proceed, or you just want to check in with someone else for ongoing accountability, you can reach out and talk to someone at Heath Christian Counseling in Texas today.