Research shows something surprising: Most people don’t struggle with accomplishing goals; they struggle with setting them in the first place.

For many of us, the hardest part is slowing down long enough to think about what God actually wants us to do with our lives. As pastors, that challenge is even greater. Ministry keeps us reactive. Sermons are always coming. Needs never stop. And planning time is often the first thing to disappear.

One national survey revealed a simple but powerful distinction between moderately successful people and highly successful people. The difference wasn’t intelligence, education, or talent. It was this: Highly successful people wrote down their goals. In nearly every other category, they were equals.

What’s true in everyday life is also true in ministry. Pastors who set clear goals tend to move forward with greater focus and effectiveness.

So what does God say about goal setting?

Scripture tells us, “Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts” (Proverbs 24:3–4 TLB). God repeatedly affirms the wisdom of intentional planning. Faith and forethought are not enemies.

It’s good to have goals in every area of life—your marriage, your family, your finances, and your ministry.

If that’s true, we should expect to find biblical models that show us how to do this well. One of the clearest examples appears in Genesis 24, in the story of Abraham and his servant. Abraham sends his servant on a mission to find a wife for his son Isaac.

In the NIV, the word “success” (or “successful”) appears five times in this chapter—more than anywhere else in Scripture. You could call it the Bible’s clearest picture of faithful success: God accomplishing his purposes through obedience, clarity, and trust.

When you study the chapter closely, you’ll discover 10 practical steps Abraham and his servant followed to reach their goal. In this article, we’ll look at the first five. The remaining five will come in the next issue of Toolbox.

1. Take an honest inventory of where you are.

Before you can decide where you’re going, you need a clear picture of where you are right now.

That means evaluating your present condition with humility and honesty. I try to do this about once a quarter by giving myself a spiritual checkup: Am I still headed in the direction God wants for my life and ministry?

Abraham did exactly this in Genesis 24. God had promised to multiply his descendants, but Isaac, Abraham’s miracle child, still didn’t have a wife. Abraham assessed the situation and realized something needed to change.

At this point, Abraham was at least 115 years old. God doesn’t put an expiration date on calling. As long as you’re breathing, he can still give you a new dream.

2. Clearly define what you want God to do.

Once you know where you are, you need clarity about where you’re going.

Abraham gave his servant a very specific assignment: “Go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac” (Genesis 24:4 NIV). Later, he added additional conditions—same nationality, same hometown, same faith.

Those weren’t vague hopes. They were clearly defined goals.

You’ll never reach a goal you can’t describe. The more specific a goal is, the easier it is to recognize progress. If you simply ask God to “bless your church,” how will you know when he does? Vague goals have no drawing power.

Clarity fuels momentum.

3. Anchor your goal in God’s promises.

As soon as you start moving toward a God-given goal, fear has a way of showing up.

Abraham’s servant experienced it too. He wondered what would happen if the woman refused to return with him. Abraham responded the way we all should when doubt creeps in—by pointing him back to what God had already promised.

When fear steps in, don’t focus on how the goal will be accomplished. Focus on who made the promise.

Abraham reminded his servant, “The LORD, the God of heaven, who . . .  promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—he will send his angel before you” (Genesis 24:7 NIV).

When you set goals for yourself or your church, don’t measure them by your own resources or abilities. Scripture contains thousands of promises you can stand on. Let God determine the size of the goal.

People used to ask us at Saddleback, “Who do you think you are to attempt something like that?” That’s the wrong question. The real issue is who you believe God is.

4. Identify why the goal truly matters.

Every goal needs a clear payoff. Without a compelling reason, motivation fades quickly.

Abraham’s servant understood what was at stake. Isaac would receive a wife. God’s promise would continue. Abraham would be encouraged. There was a clear spiritual and relational reward.

Ask yourself three questions:

• What is the reward?

• Why do I want it?

• How will I feel when God accomplishes it?

When you settle the why, God has a way of clarifying the how. That’s when a goal becomes a calling.

If you don’t understand why a goal matters, discouragement will eventually cause you to give up.

For me, the ultimate motivation is simple. One day, I want to stand before Jesus Christ and hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23 NIV). That one sentence will make everything worth it.

5. Carry the goal consistently to God in prayer.

Praying for your goals does two things. It reveals how much you want them—and it reminds you who you’re depending on.

Genesis 24 tells how Abraham’s servant prayed continually throughout the process. He prayed when he arrived at his destination (verses 12-14). He prayed after he met the woman, Rebekah (verses 26-27). He prayed in front of Rebekah’s family (verse 52). Every step was covered in prayer.

Are you praying for your goals—or have you only written them down?

Your goal list should become part of your prayer life—not the only thing you pray about, but something you regularly bring before God.

These five steps lay the foundation—but they aren’t the whole picture. In the next issue of Toolbox, we’ll look at five additional practices that help move God-given goals from intention to reality.