Growth Goals
Discovering a Growth Goal
What on earth is God doing in your life?
Understanding what God is doing in your life and joining Him there is critical to walking in His purposes and pleasures for your life.
Life Exploration
1. If some one came up to you tomorrow morning and asked you…”So what’s God doing in your life?”…what would you say? How would you answer?
2. What would you say to the following individuals if they came to you for help?
• A high school student raised in a Christian home turned to drugs and alcohol…
• A woman who has tried to stop criticizing others…for ten years…
• A father who knows he needs more patience with his children, but his efforts seem in vain…
3. How much thought do you give to how you react or respond to the world around you?
4. Have you ever had a bad habit that you’ve tried to break but have failed…repeatedly?
5. Does the word holiness have a less-than-encouraging connotation to it?
God is at Work
God is at work doing something. The question is are you aware that this is true…and are you aware of what it is? The pursuit of answers to these questions is the path to discovering your growth goal – the mental image of what God is calling you to know, be and do that best reflects His glory in and through your life…the work that God is calling you to regarding your own heart and life.
Phil 2:12-13
…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. NIV
Discovering a Growth Goal
Discovering a Growth Goal is the first step in engaging one another in soul talk. Soul talk is what we are using to describe spiritual conversations within the body of Christ that:
goes deeper than mere superficial church talk
gets beyond the mere pleasantries in Christian fellowship
gets underneath knowledge-only or super-spiritual platitudes
Our relationships then become shaped around mutual support for the ways God is growing us up as persons in Christ. Hence the purpose of a growth goal is to tap into God’s ongoing direction and purpose in your life that may be taken into your spiritual friendships…with an eye toward each other’s spiritual growth and maturity, even (especially) in the midst hardships, difficulties, and suffering.
The Biblical Basis for Growth Goals
… the idea of consecration, fullness, completion (teleos)…
Luke 13:32 - He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ NIV
…KJV idea of “wherefore we labor…”…meaning ‘for which cause’, NKJV = ‘aim’
2 Corinthians 5:9 - So we make it our goal (aim) to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. NIV
…the idea of perfection (completeness) via sanctification.
Galatians 3:3 - Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? NIV
1 Timothy 1:5 - The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. NIV
…the idea of ‘hitting the mark’ (as in marksmanship)
Philippians 3:14 - I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. NIV
“teleological” - exhibiting or relating to design or purpose especially in nature – (Websters)
teleo (tel-eh’-o); from NT:5056; to end, ie. complete, execute, conclude…
KJV - accomplish, make an end, expire, fill up, finish, go over, pay, perform.
Seven things to know about discovering a growth goal (teleological movement)…
1. A Growth Goal is something that is discovered, not ‘dreamt up’. We don’t have to guess or speculate about it. God desires to reveal it to you.
2. By discovering a growth goal, you are touching an area of your inner life – your heart - that Christ is seeking to redeem, transform and draw further into His good purposes.
3. A Growth Goal is directed at changing the character of our response to life…as opposed to seeking to change or control other people or circumstances.
4. A Growth Goal is action oriented - behavioral v. merely emotional or insight oriented. It is not a lament and it doesn’t traffic in the language of victimization.
5. A Growth Goal is relational in context. It’s not just about me, but about Christ and His kingdom.
6. A growth goal is one that constitutes a “cliff jump”. It requires me to face my fears. It is something that feels dangerous to me rather than safe to me.
7. A growth goal is a goal that I can not accomplish by my own will power. It can only be accomplished through the Holy Spirit changing me.
Tips for Talking about Growth Goals
1. A growth goal will best be discovered out of our Conversation with God (prayer) and in community with others. Don’t go it alone…but don’t go there without a great deal of time alone with Him via prayer, scripture, meditation, silence, etc.
2. Discovering a growth goal will involve looking at feelings, ‘buttons’ and reactions to others, situations, life.
3. Help each other put internal struggles into words…the internal struggles that grow out of external problems in our everyday lives…by inviting one another to talk about the way they are handling certain challenges, problems, tensions of life.
4. Build a story…look for a consistent theme in the episodes of life.
5. Withhold judging yourself and your fellow pilgrims in this process. Become fascinated with one another instead of irritated or conclusive of one another. You will see disconnected relationships, or distorted perspectives of God, self, others, world…but don’t try to ‘fix’ one another. Let God work through a process that you are involved in, but not in control of.
6. Discovering God-breathed growth goals can take many passes. Most often our initial ‘goals’ are rather superficial and come from self and flesh more than they come from God. Keep seeking, listening, and be patient both with yourself and with others.