Purpose, Goals and Dreams
I finally returned from my 3,000-mile round-trip journey to the Pacific Ocean in Carlsbad, California, where I enjoyed a 2-week vacation and time with my brother and sister. It was a much-needed respite and relaxing break from the heavy weight of life. As I drove for approximately 40 hours, I had many thoughts, ideas, and sermons go through my mind. However, as I sat down to write today, it feels like helping people find their purpose, setting goals, and living their dreams seems most important in a universe that has tilted sideways.
God plants us on earth, and each individual has a purpose written on their heart from God. Finding that purpose requires one to connect and become one with their Holy Spirit, who will lead, inform, guide, and provide great counsel to anyone who will listen.
Our generalized purpose is found in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
First and foremost, we are to disciple other people, leading them (not trying to force them) to God’s Word and helping them discover His undying love and purpose for their lives. We do this mostly by EXAMPLE, not words. As we claim to be Christians, it is our actions and behavior that speak the truth of our heart and easily show people whether or not God is IN our heart and leads our life. The old saying Actions speak louder than words is applicable here. However, additionally, we each have special gifts that help lead us to our exact purpose on earth.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 “There are different kinds of gifts. But it is the same Holy Spirit who gives them. There are different kinds of work to be done for Him. But the work is for the same Lord. There are different ways of doing His work. But it is the same God who uses all these ways in all people. The Holy Spirit works in each person in one way or another for the good of all. One person is given the gift of teaching words of wisdom. Another person is given the gift of teaching what he has learned and knows. These gifts are by the same Holy Spirit. One person receives the gift of faith. Another person receives the gifts of healing. These gifts are given by the same Holy Spirit. One person is given the gift of doing powerful works. Another person is given the gift of speaking God’s Word. Another person is given the gift of telling the difference between the Holy Spirit and false spirits. Another person is given the gift of speaking in special sounds. Another person is given the gift of telling what these special sounds mean. But it is the same Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, who does all these things. He gives to each person as He wants to give.”
By understanding your gift(s), you can easily figure out how you can best serve humanity. My primary gift is one of teaching, but I also serve others and use discernment to tell falsehoods. Part of teaching is my treasured gift of writing. I say this so you know that each person may have a variety of gifts, and they work symbiotically to strengthen and reflect the main goal of spreading the gospel and hope for eternal life to the world.
However, within the realm of serving your purpose, God has also put goals and dreams into your heart. These are things that motivate and create happiness within your soul. Goals and dreams go hand in hand with allowing you to seek pursuits that are very enjoyable to you while serving God.
I have noticed that when people no longer have goals and/or dreams in their hearts, they often lose their zest for life and lack the desire for accomplishment. Especially as many of us get older, we have a tendency to allow our dreams and goals to die, which makes us lethargic and lacking enthusiasm in serving humanity for God and truly enjoying our daily lives. It makes us focus far too much on negative events, emotions, and people, thus further reducing our productivity as the hands and feet of God, making us feel sad, mad, and/or discouraged. It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to always have goals and dreams in order to live the best life God has planned for us. Without them, our lives become mundane and aimless. Let me break down our three categories with brief descriptions:
Purpose: The reason God put us on earth including His desire for us to live a happy, peaceful, and fulfilled life. (Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you. They are for you to prosper and do well.” This means that our Spirit stays happy and joyful as we traverse life and live it to the fullest extent possible.
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
Jeremiah 32:19 “Great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve.”
Goals: Life goals are defined as the desired states that people seek to obtain. When we set goals, we envision, plan for, and commit to achieving these desired results. Because our lives change, goals can be short-term or long-term. Goals include things like health, spiritual, relationships, career, financial, sports, hobbies, and many more. Setting life goals is an important part of what it means to be alive, and achieving them can feel rewarding or even generate a greater sense of purpose and meaning.
Dreams: Dreams and goals go hand in hand. When you can visualize what would make your life better and more fulfilling, it becomes your dream. A dream requires effort and focus to make it come true. It is personal and shouldn’t be dependent on another person.
For example, in my 40’s my goal was to become a good servant of God and humanity. That requires me to do something to assist and help others. My DREAM is to be a writer. My DREAM is to write sitting at a table or desk overlooking a white sandy beach with crystal clear water. My dream has very specific savings goals that need to be achieved. My dream will make me happier, but it is not required for my goals to be achieved. My dream will just make goal accomplishment more pleasant.
In summary, God put a purpose in my life to serve humanity and build His church. My purpose is the driving factor of my goals. Although I have personal goals of financial security, health, and happiness, my dreams are like the cherry on top of the whipped cream. When we quit dreaming or setting goals, our lives become doldrums and have no real meaning.
Goals and dreams motivate us into action because we have a perceived reward that will make our lives better and more joyful. Our purpose should be to make other people’s lives better. A very clear distinction. I am challenging each of you to set very clear goals and have dreams while serving your purpose based on God’s vision. Writing them down makes them more concrete because you can see them and remind yourself of the path you need to follow to achieve them. May you take action today and live the beautiful, happy, peaceful, and fulfilled life God has always had planned for you! Many blessings and much love, Lisa ><>
If you enjoyed this sermon, check out our others here, or if you have questions, please message us.