As we finish out 2023 wondering how another year has passed so quickly, it’s been incredible to look at how differently things are than what I had planned. A job change for my husband, living in a different house, losing a parent, having another baby… That’s a lot to change in one year! Maybe your year went similarly — an abundance of change that may or may not have been anticipated. Regardless of the amount of change, maybe there were goals you set out for 2023 that you didn’t achieve as you hoped. Or maybe there was something that you did achieve, and you can’t help but feel it was meaningless. Both of these were true for me, so I’ve been very hesitant to fill in the “goals” pages of my 2024 planner. As someone in a season of very limited free-time, I want to be very intentional with these goals, and I want them to be the goals God has for me. 2023 continued to hammer home this truth: We are NOT in control! And despite some of us having discomfort with that, it’s for our own good. As I’ve prayed through goal setting and asking the Lord to lead me, I want to share insight on a few verses that have been heavily on my heart for planning (Ephesians 2:10) sustaining (Isaiah 40:31), and establishing (Psalm 90:17) goals for 2024.

Seeking God’s plan over our own plan

Ephesians 2:10 tells us

”For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.“ Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The first thing I hope to do is set you free from any pressure you have to achieve greatness this year. Your year is already planned! What 2024 looks like for you was determined before you were born. And a humbling note to that—you and I are not big enough to mess up God’s plan! So as you set goals for this year, quiet your mind from all the things you could do and seek God for what you should do. This wisdom comes in sitting with Him, waiting on Him, and trusting in Him to reveal to you what you need to do. So wait with expectation—and set a plan that you are confident God is involved in!

God will sustain us in the work he has for us

Isaiah 40:31

”but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.“ Isaiah 40:31 ESV

Another statement that I hope sets you free: “Those who wait for the Lord…” Notice both of these verses remind us that He has a plan for us! He is in control! And truthfully, we need only to wait for him and seek Him. In doing so, “He will renew their strength.”

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around this statement as it’s hard to imagine not growing weary. Having a baby and a toddler, a house to maintain, a full-time job… I admit I grow weary regularly (as anyone with a one or combination of these things would!). As I’ve tried to wrap my head around all of the things I hope to work on this year in addition to my regular responsibilities, this verse has been a gentle call back to wait on Him to reveal what’s important. Wait on Him to renew my strength when it’s time to put additional effort into something. This verse is stored in my heart as a reminder this year that Jesus didn’t die for us to see our own personal growth but His growth, and the spreading of the Good News that He is our Savior. So if we are setting goals that we feel captive to or that fill us with stress and overwhelm, odds are, Jesus isn’t the driving force of that goal! So if a sense of overwhelm starts to hit, pause, and wait for God. For our God is one of provision, and if He wants for us to work towards something, He will provide the energy, the time, the creativity, or the physical resources for us to do so. We need only to wait well!

It is up to God whether or not to establish the work of our hands

”Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!“ Psalm‬ ‭90‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The New Living Translation replaces the words “establish the work of our hands” with “make our efforts successful” which provides clarity on what this means. I want to start by pointing out something very important, which is this isn’t a promise from God to establish our work. This is a plea from the psalmist for God to establish this work. It is essential for us to remember this truth: God doesn’t always give us success in what we are doing. Sometimes we will fail—even if it’s something we sought His affirmation for doing. But “we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). Maybe God directed you to start a business just for it to fail 1, 5, maybe even 20 years later. Maybe there was effort you poured into a project just for someone else to come along and reduce it to rubble. Maybe there is someone you tried to help, and you still ended up losing them. If you have truly given it to God, you should find His peace in knowing He had a greater purpose. And you and I may never know what that was! But whatever goals you set this year, especially if it is a major goal such as starting a business or ministering to someone, be sure you’ve given it to God. If we truly look to God to provide success for our efforts, our perceived failures won’t be so disappointing. Because the truth is, God never fails.

I hope this was an encouragement to anyone looking to set big goals or just looking to seek God this year. Abide in your Savior Jesus, welcome the grace that comes from his sacrifice, remain steadfast in prayer and seeking Him, and wait expectantly—because you will find Him in the successes and the redirections!

Waiting with expectation,

Haley