I heard a Christian business man say that it is not good to set New Year’s resolutions.  I even heard one person say Christians should not set goals, but should just rely on God each day.  Some of those well-meaning friends quote James 4:13-14:

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

That is only half the truth.  Let’s read the very next verse, James 4:15:

Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

It is not a matter of not making New Year’s resolutions or setting goals at any time of the year.  It is a matter of where those goals come from: self or God.

Christian business goals start with God

When we start setting goals at any time of the year, we should put God at the center of our goal setting process.  You may need to get alone for a little while and really dig into prayer before setting any goals for your life and/or your business.

Start with the question: “What does God want from me?”

Then, ask “What does God want from my business?”

When we start with ourselves it helps us to listen to God because we open ourselves up to hear from Him.

Remember, prayer is a two way communication.  It is not about listing all the things we want.  It is about connecting with an Almighty, Creator God who knows what is best for us.  It is about learning to listen to Him for direction.

Here are some verses to help you focus on God’s will when you set out to make your goals.

• Proverbs 16:3 “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
• 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.”
• Isaiah 32:8 “But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.”
• Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
• Luke 14: 28-30 “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? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

 

A simple plan for Christian business goal setting

1. Keep God at the center of your goals: Read one of the verses above and meditate on it before you set your New Year’s resolution or when you set goals at any time of the year.  Take time to pray and really become clear about what you feel God wants for you and your business this year.
2. Focus on one goal:  God is not a God of confusion.  Find one goal, one purpose God wants you to focus on.  Set your goal with something that is specific that you can measure and track: i.e. specific amount of revenue, number of new customers, specific amount of charitable donations, etc.
3. Divide the goal into monthly goals: Break your yearly goal into monthly steps.  What do you need to happen each month in order to accomplish your yearly goal?
4. Create action steps for each week and every day: Take the first couple of months and jot down weekly and daily actions. Four successful weeks and you should reach your monthly goals. What do you need to do each day in order to make your week a success?
5. Take small steps each day: Take small steps towards your goal every day.  Each day make small steps towards your overall goal and if you miss a day, don’t focus on what you missed, focus on what you want to accomplish overall.  Pick yourself up and make each new day a day to Glorify God.

If we set goals that glorify God, we will have the right intention for our business: a God-honoring business.

If we set goals that glorify God, we will have a God-honoring business that impacts lives. Click To Tweet

Go ahead and set some goals, whether it is the beginning of the year, the beginning of the month, or just the beginning of the day.

Remember: God will be glorified in your business when you turn to Him first.