Building Your Walls (Setting God-Sized Goals)

TheFreeDictionary.com defines a goal as "the purpose, or objective, toward which an endeavour is directed." From the beginning of time, goal-setting existed. God had a clear purpose, or objective, when He created the heavens and the earth. He had a clear purpose, or objective, when He spoke His words through His prophets. He had a clear purpose, or objective, when He allowed Jesus to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. He knew the appointed times and set His plans into motion.

Goals are part of our everyday lives - wake up by 6:00 am, make dinner and get the kids to bed by 8 pm, study for exam, clean the house before guests come over, etc. They can also be an effort to achieve something much bigger and more meaningful to us - eat healthy, lose weight, complete a degree, get out of debt, start a business, etc.

But, why do we set goals? No one embarks on a journey to accomplish something without first identifying a goal or a need. Do you wake up one day and just start looking for a new house? Do you suddenly start eating healthy for no reason? Do you just enrol into university on a whim? A goal is the fuel that ignites the fire within us to strive for, and achieve, something meaningful.

As Christian women, a goal should never be borne to fulfill our selfish ambitions. It should be borne out of a need or vision that God has put on our heart. Think about the goals that you've set and pursued in the past. What was your big 'why' in pursuing that goal? Was it to propel your needs or advance God's plans? In everything that we do and every goal or dream that we pursue, our 'why' should be to see God's power displayed through us.

Back in January 2013, I set a goal to lose 40 pounds by August. A friend, who is also a fitness trainer, coached me in eating healthy and exercising. Since then, I've lost 15 pounds and I'm enjoying the healthy lifestyle! However, for the past ten years, I've tried unsuccessfully to lose weight. In fact, I kept gaining weight and eating lots of unhealthy food.

So, what changed? My heart! In the past, I wanted to lose weight for all the wrong reasons - to look good and feel attractive, to feel better about myself, and so that I can fit into my clothes. Those 'whys' aren't necessarily bad. But, God wasn't my primary 'why' (Matthew 6:33). I felt God prodding me and reminding me that He has a big dream for me. His dreams can't be accomplished in me if I'm unhealthy, lacking in energy and a potential heart disease risk. Once God became my 'why', everything changed.

I've recently been reading the book of Nehemiah and it's one of my favourite books in the Bible. The wall represents the goals and dreams that we have. As I was reading Nehemiah, I was making notes like crazy because there was just so many treasures of knowledge within that one book. Nehemiah was a man with a vision - to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. But, He didn't set this goal on his own. God put it on his heart!

When it comes to setting goals, here are some lessons from the book of Nehemiah:

1. A goal begins with seeing a need. When Nehemiah learned that the walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed and left in ruins, leaving the city defenseless, he was somber. Nehemiah 1:4 says that he wept, fasted and prayed to God for days. What walls do you need to build in your life? Do you see the needs? Go before God in prayer, fasting and tears begging Him to grant you His favour and His success.

2. We will face opposition when we set our hearts on change. Have you ever had family or friends try to discourage you from pursuing a goal? Perhaps you started a business and your family told you to get a real job, don't waste your time, you can't do it, etc. The enemy wants to sabotage our spiritual growth and he will use even our loved ones to tear us down. Throughout the book of Nehemiah, his enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem, heard of Nehemiah's plans, ridiculed and mocked him and went as far as threatening his life.

How did Nehemiah persevere under all this opposition? He prayed before the God of heaven and trusted that God would protect him. What opposition are you facing in the pursuit of your goals?

3. Before beginning the task of rebuilding, Nehemiah assessed the state of the wall. In Nehemiah 2:11-18, we see that Nehemiah spent time examining and assessing the condition of the walls of Jerusalem. Based on this assessment, Nehemiah could plan ahead and establish his strategy. He would know how much time would be needed to rebuild, how many resources would be required, what materials or equipment he would need, etc. We see the actual process of rebuilding the wall in Nehemiah 3 and the completion of the wall in Nehemiah 6. Nehemiah would not have had success if he didn't plan.

How are you planning for success? Start by assessing the condition of your walls. Are you trying to lose weight? What is the state of your health? Have you had a negative diagnosis from your doctor? Have you had to purchase a whole new wardrobe because you gained four dress sizes? Do you look at yourself in the mirror and not like what you see? Do you lack energy? Armed with this report, you can create and implement your strategy.

4. It is God that puts His plans and His goals on our heart. In Nehemiah 2:13, Nehemiah had not told anyone what God had put in his heart to do for Jerusalem. Nehemiah felt so deeply about rebuilding Jerusalem's walls because God put that desire on his heart (Psalms 37:4). The end result of a desire that God puts on our heart is that God's power will be displayed to those who would witness our journey and our victory (Nehemiah 6:16). Do you feel a burning desire to meet a need in your life, your church, your school, your workplace or your own business? Would meeting this need bring glory and praise to God? God may be putting this desire on your heart for a reason!

5. It is God who gives success to our dreams and it is God who deserves the glory. When ridiculed by his enemies, Nehemiah responded in Nehemiah 2:20 by telling them that the God of heaven will give him success. When we accomplish great feats, it is so easy to pat ourselves on the back and accept accolades from others. Always remember that victory and glory belongs first to God. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

6. Nehemiah didn't do the work alone. He had a team of supporters. In Nehemiah 2:18, Nehemiah shared his vision with the people of Jerusalem and God moved their hearts to begin rebuilding. When we share our vision with others, God may move them to support our dreams or partner with us in the pursuit of those dreams. They may even discover that they share the same dream. Who is on your team of supporters? How are you helping each other to build your walls?

7. Goals require commitment and heart. In Nehemiah 4:6, the people worked with all their hearts until the wall reached half its height. I can testify to giving up on goals. They become difficult and I become discouraged. I become exhausted when I don't see results. I'm in it for the wrong reasons and the heart isn't there. God rewards faithfulness and perseverance (Luke 18:1-8). If God has put His dreams on your heart, pursue them with all your heart. Don't give up on God's dreams!

When setting goals, use the S.M.A.R.T. model to guide your thoughts and your planning. SMART goals include the following components:

S - Specific - Your goals should be specific, not vague. What do you want to achieve? What goal has God put on your heart? For example, a specific goal says "I want to sign up five new clients by the end of May." A vague goal says "I want new clients." Get into the habit of being more specific with what you want to achieve. This helps you to focus on how you're going to achieve it. Spend time with God and ask him to define your goals for you and then listen!

M - Measurable - Your goals should be measurable. If you can't measure it, you can't manage it. You should be able to track and monitor your progress using charts, process maps, checklists, or whatever works for you. In the case of signing up new clients, you could have a weekly tracking sheet where you track the new clients you've signed up. This allows you to chart and measure your progress.

A - Attainable - Your goals should be attainable (not easy). In other words, you should set yourself up for victory. They should stretch your faith in God, but they should not stress and burn you out. A goal to have 100 new clients in one month is nothing short of a miracle and will definitely challenge you to trust and have faith in God. But will it also drive you to your breaking point in your quest to achieve it? Will you struggle with negative and self-defeating thoughts? Will it discourage your faith if you don't achieve it?

R - Realistic - We know that with a mustard seed of faith, God can move mountains in our lives. And He will! But, there's something to be said about setting realistic goals. God can definitely bless you with 100 new clients in one month. But, in the process of setting your goals, do a limit assessment to ensure that you are capable of reaching that goal within your limits of time, talents, finances, other priorities, etc. Don't set yourself up for failure.

T - Timely - In project management, a project is not a project unless it has a deadline. In goal-management, a goal is not a goal unless it has a deadline. Nehemiah and his team rebuilt the wall in 52 days. A deadline gives you a clear direction to steer towards. It ensures that you don't get distracted by other priorities and procrastinate. It keeps you focused. Do you want to achieve your goal in one week, one month or one year? Set milestones so that you can keep yourself on track. If your goal is to sign up five new clients in one month, then you can set milestones to sign up one client a week, make 20 sales calls a week, attend two networking events a week, etc.

Remember to take one day a week to rest. In Genesis 2:1, God took the time to rest from His work. God commanded the Israelites in Exodus 31:16-17 to observe a day of rest. It says that on the seventh day, God rested and was refreshed. It is so important to take a much-needed break to refresh ourselves and not stress ourselves. As part of my eating healthy, Sunday is my day of rest and I treat myself to something I enjoy. It doesn't mean that I go crazy and pig out. It just means that I allow myself a break.

I will end this article with a quote from the great Ernest Hemingway. “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the end.” The pursuit to accomplish God's dreams draws us closer to God, binds us to Him in prayer and molds and shapes our faith. Don't get so caught up in reaching the top of the mountain that you forget to enjoy the climb!