Few things are more enjoyable to me than sitting down with a notebook and calendar, setting goals, scheduling tasks, and planning to accomplish great things. I used to do this religiously twice a year—in January and June. But not anymore.
Here’s the thing: I’m out of control. I mean, I literally do not have control of my life.
I can get all my ducks in a row and create a foolproof blueprint for the year or month or week ahead. But no matter how disciplined and diligent I am, it never goes exactly the way I think it should.
Typically, it goes something like this: I make a plan or set a goal that’s good and healthy and maybe even holy. Then something happens that diverts my course. For example, one year, I planned to read the whole Bible that year. Then, I was asked to teach on the book of 2 Peter at a women’s conference. Because of time and energy limitations, I had to shift my daily Bible reading focus to study 2 Peter in preparation for this teaching.
There’s nothing wrong with this. Even though this change meant I failed to accomplish my original goal, I actually accomplished something better—I followed where God led me, even when it was in a different direction than I had planned. I adjusted my goal to align with his will.
I don’t always attain “faithful flexibility”. Sometimes, I dig in my heels and stubbornly attempt to “do it all”—fulfill my own desires while simultaneously obeying God’s commands even if it’s completely impossible. It’s hard to let go of the reigns sometimes. But I think I can truthfully say that I’ve improved over the years because the more I know God, the more I trust him and the perfection of his ways (Isaiah 55:8–9).
Proverbs 19:21 (ESV) says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” So, after many years of meticulously setting specific goals and planning exactly how I’d accomplish them, I retired from New Year’s resolutions. Now, instead of focusing on goals and long-term plans, I focus on purpose. God created me for a purpose. He created all of us for a purpose—ultimately, that we would know him, love him, and glorify him. And I can pursue that purpose no matter what happens in my life.
Even if I get sick—
Even if my work requirements change—
Even if we suddenly have to move to a new home—
Even if one of our kids gets engaged and we’re immersed in planning a wedding—
Even if a loved one is suffering from illness and needs more of my time than usual—
I can still fulfill God’s purpose for me. I can get to know God more, learn to love him more, and seek to glorify him in all of these circumstances, even though they’re unforeseen on January 1st and mess with my neatly planned calendar.
There is value in reviewing your life on a regular basis.
- What is God’s purpose for your life, and what roles has God called you to fill?
- Are you faithfully filling those roles and fulfilling His purpose?
- Are there changes you can make in your routines or schedule to better fulfill His purpose for you?
Answering these questions can inform our planning, scheduling, and decision-making. It’s a continual process of seeking God’s will for how we use our time, resources, and energy. We can do this daily—even hourly, not just yearly.
Do you, like me, need to relinquish perfectionism and the desire for control and experience God’s grace and peace in the midst of transition, trials, and turmoil? Perhaps the goals vs. purpose perspective can help you, as it has me, to simplify our lives and stay focused on what matters most.
Whether or not you make New Year’s resolutions, may 2025 be a year of knowing God more through His Word and learning to wield it well for His glory.
See also: How to Be Faithful Instead of Frantic So You Can Get the Important Things Done
