Socrates said, “the unexamined life is not worth living.” On January 17, 2018, I will celebrate my fiftieth birthday as a believer. Hooray!!! While I think of the many blessings, I also wonder if my life exemplifies fifty years of growth in the faith.
I’m not into the hype the world puts in to New Year's Resolutions.
But, every January, I do set personal and ministry goals for the year. This
year for personal goals I plan to use Luke 2:52 as my guide. Luke chapter two
chronicles twelve-year-old Jesus getting left at the temple. When he is found
and the family journeys home, the chapter concludes with: “And Jesus grew in
wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”
Jesus grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and
socially. When I set my personal goals, I divided a piece of paper into four blocks. I placed one growth area in each quarter of
the page. My analysis included looking at my strengths and weaknesses in each growth
area.
Then I placed a goal in each quarter that I want to
work on this year. This paper is placed in my devotional materials and I check
it routinely. Below are some possible goals. Notice each of these example goals
are measurable so you can check how you are doing.
2018 Personal Growth Goals
Luke 2:52
Mental Physical
Read 12 books. Get to
bed at 11 pm.
Take knitting class. Lose ½ pound each week.
Spiritual Social
Update prayer notebook. Weekly lunch with a friend.
Start verse memorization. Monthly couples
dinner.
