5 Tips for Setting Spiritual Growth Goals for the New Year

This was the #2 post of 2013. All the principles still apply to 2014!

What do the following things have in common?

Exercise more
Lose weight
Improve my relationships
Pay off debt
Get organized

Every year these items pop up in lists of the Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions. Do you plan on making resolutions for 2014? The first of the year is a great time to start fresh, set goals, and begin something new. In fact, it’s the perfect time to evaluate our spiritual health and set some goals for growth.

We can’t cause our spiritual growth. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to transform us into the image of Christ (2 Cor 3:18). But God does expect our obedient and active cooperation (1 Cor 9:24-27). One way we can purposefully “train ourselves to be godly” (1 Tim 4:7-8) is through spiritual evaluation and goal-setting.

Resolutions and goals are often hard to keep. Statistics show that, at best, only 46% of New Year’s resolutions are still kept six months into the year. People lose their resolve quickly because they set unattainable goals.

The following five tips will help us set personal discipleship goals that will keep us growing through the year:

Concentrate your efforts. Set just one, two, or three goals at a time. Don’t spread yourself too thin. When you experience success then add another goal.
Be realistic. Set goals that are attainable. If you don’t read your Bible regularly now, don’t set a goal to read the entire Bible in three months. Instead commit to read it 3 to 5 times per week.
Think concretely. Set goals so progress can be measured. For instance, this goal is too ambiguous: I’m going to spend more time with God. Instead be concrete: I will read one Bible chapter and pray for 10 minutes five times a week.
Include strategies. Develop strategies designed to move you toward your goals. If one goal is to memorize Scripture, determine how you will do that. What verses you will memorize? How often you will tackle a new one? What memorization techniques you will use?
Create manageable steps. Break your overall goal into a series of smaller goals that are doable and will foster success.

How do we begin? First, take a serious look at your spiritual health. You may use the free “Discipleship Evaluation” download. This tool covers 17 different key discipleship areas. Your weakest areas can be great growth areas in 2014.

Next, set spiritual growth goals using the five tips above. Planning is not “unspiritual.” Living a life that glorifies God will not happen by accident. The free “Spiritual Goals” worksheet walks you through specific areas of discipleship such as time with God, ministry, service, and Christian education.

Most importantly, ask God to guide you as you evaluate your spiritual health and set goals for growth. He will bring the spiritual transformation as you strive to live a live that pleases Him.

What kind of spiritual growth goals have you had in the past? How did it go?