Goals for God

I recently played in my soccer grand final where I scored a goal to bring us level, I was ecstatic, the game ended up finishing in a draw and we had to play a shootout. When my turn came to shoot, I missed the goal and we ended up losing. I had blown my one chance in the shootout to help my team, and the chances are I will regret it for many years.

The lesson: It’s hard when you miss the goal. We always have goals in life … some are clearer than others, and some are a long way in the future, and some of them we have missed. I have listened to countless stories of people who have regrets, goals that they didn’t achieve when they were younger, or times they wish they could have over again. The beautiful truth is that Jesus has given us more than one chance in this life to achieve not only our own goals, but also the goals that our heavenly father has set for us. I wish I could go back and take that shot again … but I can’t.

I don’t want to be saying the same thing when I’m 80. I want to be living my life to the fullest and following God’s direction, so that when I come to then end of my life I can say confidently that I scored goals for God.

In Colossians 2:2 Paul writes, “My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ.”

When we set our hearts on Christ and make his ways our goals we will be rewarded with the full riches of eternal life. I’m not saying you will never have any regrets and that you will reach all your goals, but the missed opportunities, the missed goals, they won’t be as painful when you know God is giving you another chance.

Matt Whiteley