What is a spiritual goal? Learn how to go forward in life by setting goals for spiritual growth with these tips and examples.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
The goal of American football is to advance past your opponent down a 100-yard field to reach the end goal. If a team gets to the first goal line in four tries (downs), they are given another four tries to reach the next goal line until they reach the end goal line.
In our lives, when we first give our heart to the Lord, we cross one proverbial goal line, but we are not finished. We have other goal lines ahead.
In fact, we have a whole field in front of us of additional goal lines.
What are Spiritual Goals for Spiritual Growth?
A spiritual goal is anything that you are trying to do or achieve to help grow in your relationship with God.
We do not earn salvation; it is a free gift. But we can grow in our relationship with God and other people.
The ultimate goal of our salvation is to be conformed to the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:29; Romans 12:2).
So, reaching smaller spiritual goals each year helps us to grow over time to mature into all the amazing promises and benefits that come with being a royal child of God.
If we continue as tiny baby Christians, we lack the skills to live the abundant kingdom life or bring kingdom benefits to other people around us.
Thus, we have another goal line to gain.
God has put more potential in you than you currently realize! He wants you to discover and grow the seeds of greatness already inside you as His child!
He has more victory, more breakthroughs, more blessings, more freedom, more healing, and more abundance for you!
It is time to move forward to discover new grace and deeper kingdom principles.
You have new goal lines to reach.
Each day is a new day, with new mercies and new grace to grow in all that God has for you.
Pressing Forward
However, we can’t look back and go forward at the same time.
Have you ever tried to drive forward while looking in your rearview mirror? You may be able to continue for a minute or two on an open road, but it will not work for very long.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:13-14).
Paul did not mean he literally forgot all the things of the past, he meant he paid no attention to it.
He decided he was no longer concerned about what was behind him.
Those situations did not have the power to hinder his going forward.
Yes, we acknowledge the unfortunate things that have happened, but we also give them to the One who judges rightly and hands out vengeance in His own way.
We cannot press forward if the past is still a painful memory.
If you have hurting memories, forgive and ask forgiveness if appropriate. Apply the blood of Jesus by faith and ask Jesus to come into the memory and heal you.
See: Why Do I Still Hurt? And A Prayer To Heal Painful Memories
When Jesus heals our past, we can confidently forget what lies behind us and press forward into what lies ahead!
Then we can press forward toward the prize of the upward call of God!
On the football field, if a player makes an error or the referee makes a bad call, the incident is judged quickly, and everyone moves on.
They leave the last play behind quickly, because the old goal line is behind, and there are new lines to gain.
God has more goal lines ahead for us.
Going into this next year have you thought or prayed about a new goal?
The Value of Spiritual Goals
We can train ourselves to be godly (1 Tim 4:7) by setting spiritual goals.
Research shows that people who make specific, reasonable, and attainable goals are more likely to reach their goals than those people who do not make goals.
Making a goal gives you a starting place and a vision of a goal-line to reach.
Goals keep you from getting stuck and going in circles with your spiritual life, and they keep you focused and motivated to go forward.
Goals are achieved one step at a time, or in football, one yard at a time.
Action Steps: How to Make Goals for Spiritual Growth
The hardest part is getting started. So, take a few days to pray and honestly look at your heart’s desires, then take a step of faith.
We can make new goals in all areas of life, such as in our career and occupation, family and relationships, financial areas, education, health and fitness, emotional and mental health, and in our spiritual growth.
Here are some examples of spiritual growth goals you might consider. Below is also a SMART Goals worksheet to help make your goals achievable.
17 Ideas for Spiritual Growth Goals
In addition to the obvious things, which you are most likely doing already, like daily devotional time and church attendance, here are a few ideas to help you grow spiritually in your relationship with Christ.
- Dedicate a certain amount of time to personal prayer and/or bible study
- Join a prayer group or prayer ministry team
- Learn how to do biblical journaling
- Memorize bible verses
- Learn about and pray about a new spiritual gift
- Seek to gain greater proficiency in a spiritual gift you already operate in
- Join a small group
- Learn some inner healing principles
- Order a new devotional book
- Determine to face and eradicate your fears
- Make an appointment with a Christian counselor or prayer minister
- Take a class
- Study the Bible to understand why you believe one thing you believe
- Learn how to practice the presence of God
- Learn to hear the voice of God more clearly
- Find ways to add more peace and joy to your life
- If you haven’t already, try out these 25 Simple & Easy Spiritual Growth Tips in my giveaway for email subscribers.
“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”
Zig Ziglar
Simply click to download the goal worksheet and print.
“Do not call to mind the former things,
Or ponder things of the past.
“Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert (Isa 43:18-19).
Hi Cynthia. This is an inspiring post and a wonderful list of ways to become closer to God. Thank you for sharing. God bless.
Thanks so very much.
I was very much inspired after reading ” God Purpose for my life”
I was overwhelmed with that joy , love and peaceof the Lord
In a nutshell I concluded that”all for my relationship and fellowship with my marker
Thanks be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
Praise God
Thanks Jodi for reading and commenting! God bless you on your Christian journey!
Ahhh, God bless you dear Ogabu Celestina! Thanks for sharing with me!