Goals Aligned with God's Will

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord... That I may know him.” (Philippians 3:8, 10). After losing his job, a man fell into such a deep depression that he voluntarily checked into a ward for patients with mental disorders. Weeks went by, but there was no improvement in his condition. One day, his doctor smiled and said, “I bet I can beat you to the lounge!” He later recalled, “This simple act awakened something inside me.” He suddenly came alive, bolted forward, and reached the finish line first. A sense of purpose gave him hope and played a vital role in his recovery. The Apostle Paul understood how important purpose is in life. His goal was to know Christ and become more like Him in everything—in both His sufferings and the power of His resurrection. To move toward this goal, Paul followed a simple principle: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13–14). Sometimes we may feel incompetent or think that we are failing to reach certain goals in our lives. But God can teach us to realign our goals with His will. Paul’s goal was not of this world. He knew that: “For our conversation is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). When we have such a perspective, the goals of our lives change. Our main goal is not just worldly success, comfort, or personal achievements. Our primary focus becomes knowing Christ more intimately and building our lives according to His will. Such a perspective gives us the hope and strength to continue growing in Christ.