I know the World Cup is going on right now and the moment I say “goals” you are thinking of Germany knocking out Brazil, 7-1, but I am not talking about Soccer…I am talking about goals for just about everything in life.
 
Recently my wife and I hiked down a couple of miles into a volcanic crater…the path down was windy, steep, hot, and a lot easier than the trip back out. The whole time, in the back of my mind, I just kept saying, “as far as I go in is how far I have to hike back out.” Here is a picture of the crater and a small section of the path, but it really doesn’t do it justice.

 As my wife and I started to hike back out we both started to get tired and dizzy, as the altitude was almost 10,000 feet. The steepness of the terrain made taking each step upward a chore, but we knew we had to get back out, if not for lunch then at least for the bathroom. How did I cope? I had goals. Every so far in front of me I would find a landmark and walk towards it, never giving up until I got there. Here is a picture of one of my landmarks.

 

I know, it’s not that impressive, but the point is that I had a goal…and the funny thing is that when I reached the goal I not only felt great about getting there, but I actually wanted to go farther.
 
Why do I tell you this? Because we are a people who have been saved by grace and not works. Everything that makes us acceptable to God is found in the person of Jesus; His righteousness given to us in exchange for our sin, His life given to us in exchange for our death. Even though this great salvation, as a gift, is completely true, it does not negate you and I also having goals. Dallas Willard says, “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.”
 
Look at what the Apostles Peter and Paul say:

• 2 Peter 1:5 makeevery effort to supplement your faith with virtue
• Romans 14:19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
• Ephesians 4:3 [be] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
• 2 Peter 3:14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

These are all words that, in our vernacular, would be goals…and good goals at that. Maybe you are struggling with forgiveness towards someone; make a goal to simply start praying for them, no matter how you feel in the moment. Maybe you struggle with being generous or worry about having ‘enough’ all of the time; make a goal to start giving something (and I do mean monetarily, it can always start small). Maybe you struggle leading your family into the knowledge and grace of Jesus; make a goal to simply read the Scriptures yourself and begin to pray before meals with your family. Maybe you don’t know how to love and honor your spouse, make a goal to pray for them and speak kindly to them.
 
We are saved by the grace of God, but He also calls us to live out our faith. If we never have any goals then life is lived in an awkward state of not knowing which direction is forward and which is not. Make some goals, and I am pretty sure when you reach them you will acknowledge 2 things:

1. You could have never gotten there without the grace of God.
2. You will see how much farther you can actually go because, when you reach the goal, you will see how much strength and grace you have already received from Jesus in the first place.