Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Goal setting requires faith. Setting goals and making plans for their attainment helps you to be sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. You are asking for God’s assistance when you set goals and make plans for their attainment. Goal setting is a proactive process that helps you become a better receiver.
The biblical account of an Old Testament prophet named Habakkuk provides insight into setting and achieving goals. Habakkuk lived around 600 BC at the time when Babylon was becoming the dominant world power and Judah would soon feel Babylon’s destructive force. Habakkuk was made to understand that God was going to use the Babylonians to judge the people of Judah. Habakkuk also knew that the Babylonians were wicked and the people of Judah considered themselves to be righteous. Habakkuk had difficulty understanding why God was going to use the wicked to judge those who were relatively righteous.
The Old Testament book of Habakkuk is a conversation between Habakkuk and God. It is a series of the Old Testament prophet’s questions and God’s answers to those questions. Habakkuk’s questions included: “Why do the wicked seem to be winning?” “Why isn’t God doing something about all the problems in the world?” “Why is there so much injustice?” Habakkuk’s questions are timeless; they are questions that occur to everyone. The answers God gave to Habakkuk are as valid and relevant today as they were when God gave them to Habakkuk.
Habakkuk’s questions were really Habakkuk’s questionings of God, not his questions to God. Habakkuk’s questions were really a disguise for complaining. Habakkuk was perplexed that wickedness, strife, and oppression were rampant in Judah but God seemingly did nothing. When told that the Lord was preparing to do something about it through the ruthless Babylonians, Habakkuk’s perplexity only intensified. How could a just God use the wicked Babylonians to punish a people more righteous than themselves? God’s answers to Habakkuk’s questionings provide the keys to setting and achieving goals.
After Habakkuk had stated his second complaint he went to the watchtower to wait for God’s reply. Habakkuk wanted to be in the best position to receive God’s message.
Habakkuk 2:1 (NLT)
I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint.
Habakkuk assumed a cautious posture as He waited to hear God’s reply. Old Testament prophets often used the watchtower as a symbol representing an attitude of expectation. Habakkuk was prepared to hear God’s answer and receive God’s revelation. The posture for goal setting includes refraining from complaining, asking for God’s assistance, not over-thinking things, and waiting to hear from God with an attitude of expectation. This will give you confidence in what you hope for and assurance about what you do not see.
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