Focusing on Goals? Expect Friction.

It’s the top of the year and most people have set goals for 2024. The new year provides us a new slate and a new opportunity to start afresh. Though we should not solely focus on goal-setting at the top of the year, it is an ideal time to assess our lives, identify growth opportunities, and commit to doing better. I want to encourage you that as you are focusing on goals, expect friction.

Goals stretch us. Goals are things that we focus on that will make our lives better. Understanding this should arm us with the understanding that we will be challenged. Accomplishing goals requires change. Without this necessary change, our lives remain the same.

Anytime that we focus on change, we will be challenged.

Why is this? Because we are changing course. We’re changing directions; we’re creating new habits. Change is not easy. So, when we set out to create change and achieve goals, we must expect friction.

Expecting friction will allow us to prepare for it. For instance, if we are focused on eating healthier, we must expect friction. We must expect unhealthy appetite desires, limited time, as well as other obstacles. As we think ahead to the challenges that we’ll likely encounter, we can begin to plan accordingly. Maybe we adjust the items we buy at the grocery store, shopping for healthier alternatives. Or, we prepare healthy meals in advance.

Some friction may not be as easy to spot. Other times our opposition may be spiritual in nature, and not as easily detected. We have to keep in mind that we have a spiritual enemy who constantly aims to steal, kill, and destroy us [John 10:10]. He is subtil, sly, cunning and crafty [Genesis 3:1]. We need the armor of God to stand against his schemes [Ephesians 6:10].

We cannot focus on achieving our goals without God.

As we depend on God’s guidance and direction, He will allow us to maneuver through situations that are designed to deter us. He is able to keep us from falling [Jude 24].

So, as you are focusing on goals, expect friction. May that expectation lead you to depend on God for guidance, direction, strength, and discernment. As we allow Him to lead our paths, He will help us to prioritize well- not allowing our goals to become our #1 focus.

Our #1 focus must always be God. As we keep Him first, He has a way of providing us with everything that we need.