The year of 2026 is here, and as always, New Year’s resolutions abound. January is the month with the highest number of new gym memberships. Yet, the reality is that only 8%-12% of those who sign up follow through by taking advantage of this new energy. Commitments are made in the areas of health and fitness, finances, personal growth, relationships, and our spiritual walk. Many of these commitments are soon forgotten. Maybe you should avoid making them? That way, you won’t break them. No. Goals are beneficial, as they help you move from where you are to where you need to go.
The apostle Paul states in Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” The goal of reading the Word of God may not change you in a day, but by being in God’s Word daily, it will change you. Lead metrics help you predict your future performance and help you determine what you must do daily to achieve your goals. If you desire to lose weight, there are two key metrics: diet and exercise. If you want to get your finances in order, there are two important metrics: make more money or spend less money. Those are the choices you must make.
In the YouVersion Bible app, there is a plan titled“30 Days With God’s Alive and Active Word.” It states, “The Bible isn’t an old book we turn to out of religious habit. It is the very breath of God in written form. Not an echo from the past, but a living whisper that spans generations. It is a sword that gently cuts the soul, bringing healing. It’s medicine, nourishment, guidance, and also fire. It’s the presence of the God who speaks. If you long for a living faith, you need a living Word! And that is what God has given us.” The choice to be in God’s Word daily is reinforced by the promise found in John 15:7.
In Day by Day and Night by Night: 365 Morning and Evening Devotions for Leaders, Dr. Ronnie Floyd, on December 27, defined a goal as “a statement of your faith in a timeline.” He challenged us to take five index cards. On each card, write out your goals in the following areas: spiritual, family, fitness, career, and personal. Write your strategies to reach those individual goals. This will enable you to look at these cards, pray for your goals, and monitor them every single day. The results you desire will only be accomplished by implementing the action steps needed to make your goals a reality.
Nothing improves by accident. The pendulum of better or worse swings upon the hinges of the choices you make daily. Choose to set goals in at least three areas where God desires improvement. First, set personal goals. What will you do personally to grow as a follower of Christ? What will you do personally to get healthy and be a good steward of the body God has given you? What will you do to grow intellectually, socially, and relationally? Unfortunately, there are many professing Christians who say they have made an initial choice for God, but they are not making daily choices to have Him in the center of their life.
You also need to choose some family goals. How will you protect your family and ensure it flourishes rather than struggles? Do you have a family altar, and do you observe it regularly and consistently? Do you have a date night where you celebrate your wife, whom God has so graciously given you? Let her know what a blessing she is to you and your family by celebrating her regularly. Are you discipling your children? The church reinforces the family, but this responsibility was given to you first. Joshua said, “Choose you this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 23:15).
Choices must be made to set the right personal, family, and church goals. What should you prayerfully consider doing to move your church and ministry forward? Have you spent enough time in prayer seeking God’s face and direction? Prayer is an indispensable part of the Christian life, and the church was empowered and expanded exponentially out of a 10-day prayer meeting. As a leader, spend time alone with God and wait on the Father’s direction. If your goals are not from God and according to His will, even your success will become a failure.
Choose to develop goals and realize that goals are useless unless there are action steps that produce results. The goal is not perfection but progress. This requires remaining in submission to God’s authority in your life, family, and church. A great question to consider across all three areas is: “What must you change or do differently for things to improve?” Having chosen to follow Christ is where it begins, but you must also make daily choices personally, as a family, and as a church that keep you headed in His direction.
What goals do you need to consider in your leadership? Submission is one individual voluntarily placing themselves under the authority of another so that God would be glorified. Have you chosen to submit yourself under the authority God has placed in your life? When you submit to authority, you are not submitting to some human being; you are submitting ultimately to almighty God. Matthew 8:5-13 tells of a Centurion’s faith, which Jesus complemented. This man stated, “For I am a man under authority.” Who is answering to whom, and does everyone understand how that works?
Here is some great news: you can choose how you follow Christ, how you lead your family, and the direction you lead your church. You make the choice every day to continue to walk with the Lord closer than the day before. Life choices begin as an initial choice that becomes a daily one, which then becomes a habit you choose and follow.
