Goals: We’re Choosing An Unhurried, Faith-First Focus

Does your goal-setting start with good intentions and usually end in discouragement? Perhaps you’re like me and get excited about the thought of new goals, but before long, the pressure of them creeps in and steals the joy. That’s why this year we’re choosing an unhurried, faith-first focus to setting our goals.

Let’s stop pushing ourselves to pursue unrealistic goals that leave us discouraged and feeling like failures. We don’t have to chase the world’s version of success—or even measure ourselves against that friend who seems to have it all together. This year, let’s not let spring arrive and leave us wondering what happened to our goals.

What if we approached goals in a new way? Instead of rushing ahead, we take an unhurried approach and put a faith-first focus on our goal-setting. Not because we lack determination, but because we value God’s voice more than our own desires.

Why So Many of Us Feel Tired Before We Even Begin

The truth is, we live in a world that praises speed and productivity. The message is there: Be More, Do More, and get it done faster.

We hurry just about everywhere we turn, and that isn’t any different when it comes to goals—set the goals, devise the plan, fix what didn’t work before, and push hard every time. Quite honestly, it’s exhausting.

What If We Didn’t Rush This Year?

Scripture reminds us that God often speaks in stillness, not urgency.

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;...” (Psalm 37:7 NIV)

I’ve gotta admit. I love the hustle of productivity, and stillness doesn’t come naturally to me, or probably to too many people. But the rush of hurry wears me down. For the last five years, I’ve started the new year sick. So I’ve learned to ease into my goal-setting, waiting for life to slow down, for me to heal, and for my soul to quiet so I can hear God’s voice.  

Most of us long for growth, but we’ve learned through trial and error that goals set in a rush often lead to failure and disappointment—usually by February.

When we set goals under pressure rather than in prayer, they rarely last. #prayer #goals Share on X

That’s why this season, we’re choosing something gentler. Something deeper.

What It Means to Put Faith First

Putting faith first doesn’t mean we ignore practical goals. But when our hearts line up with Jesus, the rest begins to fall into place—at the right pace. It means we begin with God rather than add Him later.

How many times have you jumped on the bandwagon of setting goals and then looked back for God’s approval? I fight the urge each year. #goals #pressure Share on X

A faith-first focus asks different questions:

• Lord, where are You already at work in my life?
• What season am I truly in?
• What pace will invite trust instead of striving?

Proverbs reminds us:

Faith-first goal setting lets go of control. We surrender and wait for God’s timing. We listen for His ideas instead of forcing our own. We choose our relationship with Jesus as our priority over accomplishments. We also trust that God cares more about who we are becoming than any outcomes.

Why Starting With a Spiritual Goal Matters

Are you tempted to begin with goals that have visible outcomes, such as health, productivity, books read, relationships, or finances? Those pursuits are easy to measure and are all good. However, our chances of success only go up if we start with our relationship with Jesus. And what He wants for us.

Spiritual growth shapes how we approach every other goal.

When our hearts and minds are in tune with Christ

• We make wiser decisions
• We respond with more grace when the unexpected happens
• We can recognize when it’s time to pivot rather than push

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 ESV) 

Setting a spiritual goal first isn’t about adding one more thing to your list—it’s about strengthening our relationship with Jesus. This bond will bring clarity to what deserves our energy and permits us to release what doesn’t.

And when the unexpected happens, as it often does, we learn to recognize God’s voice when He says, “Stop pushing, and pivot.”

Why an Unhurried Focus Changes Everything

God doesn’t rush—and He doesn’t ask us to either. The pressure is not coming from Him to hurry.

Jesus amazes us with how intentionally He slows down throughout His ministry. He often withdrew to pray. He didn’t feel the rush from storms or crowds, nor try to force the outcomes He desired. Instead, He walked in step with His Father, even when others didn’t understand his pace.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” 
(Mark 1:35 NIV)

When we slow down, we begin to notice:

• Where growth is happening
• What matters most
• How God is sustaining us  

An unhurried focus reminds us that spiritual wisdom isn’t usually found in urgency—it’s found in attentiveness. #unhurried #wisdom Share on X

Looking Back Without Shame: Why Reflection Matters

One of the most helpful—and often overlooked—steps in goal setting is taking the time to reflect on where we have been.  

And the best part is God is there to meet us with grace.

Looking back helps us recognize patterns:

• Where we grew stronger
• Where we stretched ourselves too thin
• Where God met us in unexpected ways

Reflection creates space for honest discernment. It helps us set goals that meet us where we are—not goals borrowed from someone else’s season.

I keep thinking perhaps I will quit everything and exercise 7 days a week so I can look like those women in the magazine, but really, is that what God wants for me? But when I pause and pray, I realize God isn’t asking me to chase an image—He’s inviting me to care for the body and people He’s already given me.

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
(James 1:4 NIV)

This kind of reflection prepares us to set goals that fit the season we’re in—not the one we think we should be in.

A Gentle Companion for the Journey

Tools can serve us well—when they guide rather than demand.

That’s why I created An Unhurried, Faith-First Focus—a gentle goal-setting journal designed for people who want to move forward with intention, and leave the pressure behind.

This workbook isn’t about doing more.

This Journal Was Created for Real Life

If your past year included unexpected turns, overwhelming seasons, or goals that quietly fell by the wayside, this journal meets you with grace—not judgment. And I’m right there with you.

Each page creates space to pause, listen, and realign—especially when life feels full or unclear.

Goals Aren’t Limited to January

God doesn’t wait for a calendar reset to guide you. He meets you right where you are—mid-year, mid-story, mid-breath.

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” 
(Psalm 37:23 NLT)

An unhurried, faith-first focus in goal setting permits you to begin slowly, pivot when needed, and trust God’s timing more than your own. Share on X

A Gentle Invitation

If goal setting has felt heavy, discouraging, or rushed in the past, this may be your invitation to try something new.

Whether you explore the journal or begin with a quiet prayer today, know this: God is not disappointed in you. He is walking with you every step of the way—even when the steps feel small.

May we choose goals shaped by faith, guided by grace, and carried forward with an unhurried heart. #unhurried #goals #faith Share on X

And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
(Isaiah 58:11 ESV)

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