Have you ever thought about what God’s Word has to say about goal setting? If you haven’t, may I suggest that one of the most important books in the Bible you could read on this subject is the book of Proverbs.

Why?

Consider this scripture:

“[The Proverbs’] purpose is to teach people wisdom and
to live disciplined and successful lives…”
Proverbs 1:2-3 NLT

The purpose of the book of Proverbs is to teach people wisdom (Do you need wisdom?) and to live disciplined and successful lives (Do you want to live a disciplined and successful life?)

If you’ve got some big goals, then you definitely need the wisdom of God in knowing how to accomplish them. Furthermore, it will take quite a bit of discipline to successfully reach those goals. So, yeah, Proverbs would be a fabulous book to read.

Since there are 31 chapters in Proverbs, why not read a chapter a day – the chapter that corresponds with whatever day of the month it is?

Below I have compiled a list of scriptures to think about when setting your goals (and there are plenty from Proverbs).

If you would like a free printable with these scriptures, make sure you’re subscribed to Flourish and you’ll find them in the Free Resources area.

 

Scriptures for Goal Setting

Determining Your Goals:

When determining your goals, it is vitally important that they align with God’s plan and purpose for your life, as well as you vision and priorities.

  • Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”
  • Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
  • Psalm 33:11 “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
  • Proverbs 16:9 “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
  • Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
  • Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
  • Luke 14:28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”
  • Proverbs 13:16 “Wise people think before they act.”

 

Writing Down & Focusing on Your Goals:

Another essential principle of goal-setting is to write out your goals and keep them in front of your eyes on a daily basis. It is so important that you don’t lose your focus.

  • Habakkuk 2:2-3 “Write down the vision and make it plain on tablets so that whoever reads it may run with it.”
  • Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish…”
  • Proverbs 21:5 “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity…”
  • Philippians 3:13 “I focus on this one thing…”
  • Philippians 3:14 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me…”
  • Acts 20:24 “If only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.”
  • Hebrews 12:1-2 “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”

 

Trusting the Lord to Help You Accomplish Your Goals:

Achieving goals takes commitment, endurance, perseverance, and a whole lot of trusting in the Lord. Make sure you have these scriptures in your goal setting arsenal:

  • 2 Chronicles 15:7 “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”
  • Psalm 20:4 “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”
  • Psalm 37:4-5 “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him…”
  • Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
  • Proverbs 16:3 “Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.”
  • Matthew 17:20 “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’”
  • Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me to fulfill His purpose – I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.”
  • Hebrews 10:35-36 “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
  • Jeremiah 17:7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”

When setting your goals, don’t forget to seek the Lord for His direction. Then apply these scriptures to those goals. With God, nothing is impossible! (Luke 1:37)

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