2024. A new year, a fresh start. There is nothing like a new year to say hello to new possibilities and goodbye to things that didn’t turn out the way we had hoped. January is a time when many people go about the business of setting goals. It might look like a list of things to accomplish, or perhaps one word to focus on. Goals are not a bad thing. Goals can help motivate us, give us focus, and can be a means of measuring progress. While goals are not a bad thing, they should never be the first thing. Without a purpose, goals can leave us striving and chasing something that will ultimately leave us drained and still dissatisfied, even if our goals are accomplished. Worse, if we are not able to accomplish our goals, we are left discouraged and depleted.

According to Dictionary.com, the definition of purpose is, “the reason for which something exists or is done.” In essence, purpose is the why behind the goals. There are a variety of reasons why you might not accomplish a goal you set. After all, life has a way of throwing curveballs when you are expecting fastballs. Yet you can still fulfill your purpose even if you do not reach your goals. When your seasons change, your purpose remains the same. In fact, research has now shown that those with a sense of purpose fared far better in COVID isolation than those without a purpose.

What is my purpose?
The good news is that whether you know it or not, you do have a purpose. According to Matt Perman, author of What’s Best Next, “There is an objective purpose in your life that you did not set.... God created you and defined your purpose.” Your purpose is “discovered, not chosen” and will be lived out in a way that is unique to you. And it’s found in Jesus. It might be to “let your light shine before others” (Matt. 5:16), to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19), to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31), or to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8), etc.

While these are commands for all Christians, God has gifted each person with unique desires and talents that lead to a life of purpose, calling, and intention. Once you have a sense of direction around your purpose (remember it is a process of discovery), only then can you discern goals based on the gifts and talents that are God-given to you, and every circumstance in which you find yourself. Then and only then will your goals lean into your purpose and ultimately glorify God. Those are goals worthy of commitment and perseverance.

Excellence Matters
In Perman’s book, he describes the concept of gospel-driven productivity by saying that “We are to use all that we have, in all areas of life, for the good of others, to the glory of God! The chief guiding principle for being productive is love.” Leaving tasks for the next person due to poor time management, making someone else’s job harder in order to make your job easier, or putting out a product that is not as user-friendly as it could be (or should be) runs counter to any biblically based purpose statement. This concept is found throughout the Bible including Luke 16:10, where Jesus says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” We also see this concept in Colossians 3:23, where the apostle Paul says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters”. In short- excellence matters.

Productivity Matters
Not only does excellence matter, but our productivity matters as well. We see this principle in Romans 12:10-11, where the apostle Paul writes, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” You can see the key principle of zeal in loving others and serving God. Zeal is defined as “great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.” When our goals flow out of our purpose, we will be zealous in our efforts toward those goals and will be far more productive. Thus, productivity isn’t as much about getting more things done as it is about getting the right things done. It is not just becoming efficient at tasks. Any purpose statement that is founded on biblical principles will call you to be productive and bear much fruit to fulfill that purpose.

Purpose in Difficult Circumstances
Without a doubt it is easier to lean into your purpose, accomplish your goals, work with excellence, and be productive when you are in a job you love, have a harmonious home life, and are secure in your circumstances. Difficult circumstances have a way of distracting us from leaning into our purpose. However, they can also serve to remind us of our true purpose. The storm that caused Peter to trust Jesus and walk on water was the same storm that caused him to take his eyes off Jesus and falter. The circumstances didn’t change. If Peter had set a goal of walking on water without having a purpose driving that goal, he could never have achieved that goal as a human endeavor. Peter could have only taken those few steps because he was, however imperfectly, grounded in his purpose as a follower of Jesus. If you are inclined to assign failure to Peter in this instance because he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink, consider this… Peter was the only disciple to step out of the boat. He had a purpose and that purpose gave him clarity. Perhaps he viewed his purpose as “Trust Jesus in all circumstances and seek to please Him alone.” We can’t know for sure. What we can know is that clarity of purpose allows for success because of difficult circumstances, not simply independent of them.

Beginning with your purpose and setting goals accordingly may be one of the most freeing things you can do for yourself in 2024. It will help redefine success, eliminate striving, reduce comparison, and increase contentment. And most of all, it will draw you closer to God. There’s no better way to start a new year and take advantage of a fresh start!

Source: Perman, Matt. What’s Best Next. Zondervan, 2016.