Now that the new year is beginning and the business associated with this time is passing, perhaps it is a
good space to begin identifying goals for the new year. Did you set goals last year? If so, were you
successful in achieving your goals? My wife and I sit down each year and write goals for the upcoming
year. We have categories such as marriage, kids, finances, work, and spirituality. To be honest, we set
these goals and tend to lose track over time. The focus of this blog is developing spiritual goals with the
intent of continued follow-up throughout the year. Let’s start with how to set goals.

I have found the best way to set goals is through the S.M.A.R.T. goals concept. The acronym stands for
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timebound. Specific can be thought of as being exact
and clear-cut; measurable means that the goals can be quantified; attainable means that you can
achieve the goal; realistic means that goal is within reach; and timebound ensures there is an end date
or ending time of the goal. Let’s see how this works out for a common goal – losing weight.

We might have a goal of losing weight at the beginning of the new year. How would this goal look using
the S.M.A.R.T. goals concept? I want to lose 5 pounds by May 1 st of this year. Losing 5 pounds is
specific; measuring your current weight and subtracting weight makes this measurable; understanding
my height, current body weight, diet, exercise routine, etc. makes this attainable within the timeframe;
losing 5 pounds is within reach (a goal of losing 25 pounds may seem great, but it may not be within
reach in the given timeframe); and the end date of May 1 st ensures the goal is time sensitive in nature. I
can set milestones to see if I am making progress towards achieving this goal. For example, half-way
through the goal, February 14th, I should have lost 2.5 pounds. Breaking our goals into manageable
chunks helps us to achieve and celebrate mini-milestones; this also keeps us motivated. Now that we
understand S.M.A.R.T. goals, how can we apply this to creating and achieving spiritual goals?

Another way to think about this goal is becoming more Christlike. That is, our spiritual goal is to
ultimately feel and act like Jesus. Spiritual goals help us to grow closer to God, better serve others in
His kingdom, to bear fruit, and become more of the person God created us to be. Do you have spiritual
goals for this year? If so, continue. If not, I recommend taking time to pray and fast with the intent of
learning what goals God has for you this year. The fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23 which is
a great place to start when thinking about spiritual goals. The fruit of the Spirit are love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Is God wanting you to grow in
any of these areas? Titus 1:5-9 is another great place to start when looking to set spiritual goals. These
passages talk about the qualities of church elders or church leaders. Examples of these qualities include
being above reproach, not being arrogant, not having a quick temper, and not being violent. James
1:19-21 can also help us create spiritual goals. These verses speak of being quick to listed, slow to
speak, and ridding oneself of moral filth. Lastly, I recommend speaking with those that are closest to
you and asking them for potential areas of spiritual growth. Be careful with this suggestion, as it
requires honesty and a thick skin! Do not start this conversation if both parties are not 100% ready.
Let’s look at creating a S.M.A.R.T. goal related to self-control – creating work and home boundaries.

Serving parishioners is part of a Pastor’s role. However, you may feel the need to respond to all
requests at all times of the day. Let’s create a S.M.A.R.T. goal related to work boundaries: “I will not
check work emails or text messages from 5:30 pm – 7:00 am on workdays and not on my days off.” This goal is specific as it refers to emails and texts only. This goal is measurable. A simple measurement
would be recording the number of times you checked work-related emails and texts during the
designated down times. This goal is attainable, although an outgoing auto-response may be necessary
(i.e., “I am away from the office at the moment, but I will respond tomorrow morning. If this is a true
emergency, please contact Pastor Smith.” Only you will know if the goal is truly attainable. The goal is
within reach/realistic. As with the attainable component, only you will know if this goal is realistic based
upon your role and responsibilities. Lastly, this goal is bound by times; The time period of 5:30 pm –
7:00 am and the additions of workdays versus days off makes the goal time-bound. This goal is only an
example and should not be used without considerations for your specific role and expectations. Such a
goal should be discussed with your boss and family prior to starting.

There is one essential steps after setting your spiritual goals – accountability. Share your spiritual goals
with your spouse, or another person who has the strength and integrity to hold you accountable. In our
previous weight loss example, having a gym partner will help me get to the gym regularly. Additionally,
including the person who does the grocery shopping and cooking in your household, if this is not you,
can help you achieve your goals through a proper diet. Lastly, celebrate your goals! If you are on track
and meeting your mini-milestones, celebrate! Share with your successes with your accountability
partners. Also, share if you are not meeting your mini-milestone, as your accountability partners can
offer encouragement and offer ways to get you back on track. Lastly, include God in every step. Your
spiritual goals should center on His will for your growth. He loves you and wants the best for you!