Do you write spiritual goals? Many people shy away from the annual “what’s your new year’s resolution” ritual. Others swear that writing down what you would like to do is the first necessary step in becoming what you would like to be.
Ah, the controversy.
But what about writing spiritual goals? Should we take the time to ponder where God is inviting us in the coming months? Or is setting spiritual goals too much effort on the human side of controlling our life?
I struggle with this issue of writing spiritual goals, but have decided I do like goal setting. I find writing things out gives me clarity and often I hear God better in ink that appears on my journal, more from the spirit than from my mind. I also find I can easier let go of things once revealed in words and be open to where God is leading me.
My Process for Writing Spiritual Goals
Here are few tips for writing spiritual goals that I have found useful. After I wrote these out, I realized I have never shared this before with others – I feel a little vulnerable being so open, but my fingers raced across the keyboard so quickly and felt so right, I am going to post this anyway.
- Bath the process in prayer. I plan several blocks of time towards the end of the year to spend with God exploring spiritual goals. I light a candle. I begin with Bible reading and contemplative prayer. This slows me down to hear God.
- Next, I reread my journal from the last 12 months and write a summary page of observances. I am awestruck at seeing themes emerge from what at the time appeared as separate events. I pay attention to what resonates in my heart that may linger into the next year.
- Does a Bible verse shimmer in my spirit?
- Is there a quote or a word that keeps repeating?
- Where did I experience joy in that past year?
- What happened that still shatters my heart?
- How am I different? The same?
- What prayers were answered and what yet waits and wonders?
3. I end with writing out a prayer full of gratitude and praise for our God.
4. The next session, often held on a different day, focuses on where God is inviting me to grow spiritually in the coming year. Again, I begin with readings and contemplative prayer. I approach this process as if I were walking on holy ground. Often a theme or verse appeared in the first day and I rewrite that in my journal to frame my thoughts. Many times, I write out questions that emerge and one year I fill entire pages with questions and no real answers. Each year is a little different from the others. The pages become multiple prayers, conversations between the Lord and me. I mention upcoming events and my dreams how these might be used in his work.
5. I review my Rule for life. This gives me a framework for my faith walk. I have written about Rule of Life before here, here, and here and have this resource for free for you if you are interested in learning more about this practice. Just click on the button below.
Click here to get your copy of the Rule of Life template
6. What I have discovered through this process is that my deepest desires and dreams bubble up from inside myself. The fake “Jeanie,” the false self, the ego-driven mask falls away and a simple soul just talks with her Creator about what the future might bring.
7. Over the years much of what I write about my hopes haven’t changed that much: I ask for blessings for my family, guidance for my writing and speaking, help for a deeper and closer walk with my Lord. Too often weight is also mentioned – year after year after year. SIGH. I find most of what appears in this process isn’t more to do, but how to be. How to be me, living each day as the beloved child of God who wants the best for me and asks that I come alongside him in his work in the world.
And always one prayer that materialized in my journal at a retreat several years ago visits me once again:
“Do what you need to do in order that I become what you best choose for me. Give me an undivided heart, fully devoted and dependent only on you.”
8. I end with prayer. I listen. I write out what I sense the Spirit is telling me. I literally close my journal, holding it up with open hands into His hands, letting go of my expectations and being open and willing to be his servant. It is about God, not me.
Where do you feel God in leading you in 2018? How do you feel about writing spiritual goals?
This is exactly what I needed today to guide my process as a writer. I am deeply troubled by one mom activist blogger who seems to drive her readership in a way that I find concerning as evidenced by the comment thread following her posts. I have spent time in prayer wondering how I could make a difference to offer another perspective. If you are ever available to chat and help me brain storm ideas, I would love to hear your insights. I have purposely avoided using the same strategies she uses and have made a commitment to myself to be respectful and specific in my concerns. I have added your site link to my recent post because I want to offer additional resources and perspectives for readers to consider. I look forward to following you and reading your posts. Kindest Wishes, Mary (World of Writer Mom)
SO glad you comment Mary and I am blessed that my words helped you. We certainly meet all types over the internet in blogs and on social media don’t we? I think you hare handling your situation well – with prayer and with boundaries. Praying for protection for you too. there are evil forces around, attacking our minds and our hearts. Anything to draw us away from God instead of closer to him. Praying for you!
Thank You Jean! So kind of you to respond. Keeping your intentions in prayer as well.
Hi Jean! You have such a quiet, slow, contemplative way of approaching your spiritual goals. It’s really inspiring to me. I find that I keep journals but rarely reread them, and you have shown me how valuable they can be.
I’d like to start a journal for 2018, and really reflect on each day. Thank you for your encouragement!
Ceil
quiet is a good word for how I listen for spiritual goals. I knew prayerful was one description but didn’t fully realize quiet until you commented on that. thanks for that new insight. I gain so much from harvesting my journal – often with a highlighter or colored pen, making more notes. A few years ago I reviewed ten years of my summaries. Man that was interesting = seeing places where I grew and places that I continued to struggle in. very humbling too. Have a great weekend, Ceil!
This post is greatly inspiring, Jean! I love the idea of doing some soul-searching goal-setting with the Holy spirit directing the process. I’m going to print out these steps you’ve presented and let them lead the way for some quiet time sessions of my own. With these other commenters I thank you for sharing what will surely be a VERY meaningful exercise for each of us!
Thanks Nancy. I know the practice has open me up to hear God in new ways and always leaves me feeling quite blessed! Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!!
How helpful Jean. I pray a lot about goals, but this is so much more in depth and informative.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Debbie. I know this process has blessed me so much through the years and starts my year off on the right note – with God! Blessings on your new year too.
I’ve never actually written out my spiritual goals for the year, Jean, but you’ve inspired me to do so. I’ll definitely let you know how God speaks to me through this exercise. Thank you, too, for your willingness to be candid and even vulnerable with us as you share your personal process.
Blessings!
Let me know how God leads you. Sometimes when I reread these goals later in the year I wonder where they came from – like someone else wrote them. Then when I see how they play out during the year – an affirmation of our walk with a wonderful loving God!
It does my soul such good to read your posts, Jean. We are like-minded indeed in our approaches. 🙂 I love your template here. Thanks for sharing. I know God will bless you through your goals in the new year.
ah, you are so sweet, Lisa. Thanks for the kind and encouraging words.
Wow, Jean. Thank you for the guideline for the next year.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Jann. Happy New Year!
Oh my goodness…this is such a powerful, helpful post, Jean, and it resonates with my own end of year/new year practices this year — practices that are evolving as I get older. I love the idea of reviewing your journal — my challenge to that is that I have more than one journal, but that can be handled. I had done a similar thing this year by reviewing my kitchen calendar and jotting down notes for each month — it gave me an appreciation for how much I really did this year and a snapshot of where I put my time. Now I need to reflect and pray about better ways to use that precious time.
I resist New Year’s resolutions — in fact, I’m writing a post now about alternatives to that. I love your practice and will be linking to it when I publish my post.
Happy New Year, and thank you for sharing your journey so authentically.
I love reviewing my journal every year. A practice I look forward too. I call it harvesting my journal and do it periodically throughout the year and on retreats but it is extra special as one year merges into another. Blessings on your weekned