Spiritual Goals

I gave this talk at church Sunday January 1st.  It has references to scripture and lds.org. 

A couple of months ago I was reviewing my goals from 2016.  I realized that I had not set specific spiritual goals so I started thinking about goals for the new year.  As I looked back at my 2016 goals, I noticed that I didn’t have any specific spiritual goals set on my goal page but I did have goals or “to do’s that were spiritual in my daily bullet journal.  Unfortunately, one thing I noticed is that many days, those spiritual goals were not crossed off.  But, many of my personal, and business goals were.  The physical goals were also not checked off. 

My 2017 goals are only spiritual goals because I felt that if I can achieve those, that momentum would carry over.  I realized that just having spiritual goals was only part of achieving goals

 “The Word is Commitment” made me realize how important commitment was in all aspects of goal setting.    Marvin Ashton says “Commitment as a word cannot stand alone. We must always ask, “committed to what?”  I realized I was committed, but what was I committed to?

According a lds.org article" Navigating the currents of life " by Mindy Anne Selu,  the first step to goal setting is self-evaluation and using that information to set worthwhile goals.

 Some questions to ask are Where do I need development? What do I want out of life? Where do I want to go?  How can I get there?  Once those questions are answered, decide on the goals.  To get some help with this we can use our Savior as an example.  We know that He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” Luke 2:52

In the article on lds.org “3 ways setting goals can be different this year”, it states first you must know what God wants from you.  This is for all goals spiritual or otherwise.  Seek revelation through prayer and ponder what Heavenly Father wants you to accomplish.  President Uchtdorf said “The holy scriptures and the talks given at general conference are an effective mirror we can hold up for self-examination

When I took time to self-evaluate, I realized that I was committed to my personal and business goals.  I love reading and listening to podcasts on the topics that interest me. Even though spiritual goals are interesting to me, I wondered why I didn’t make them a priority.  Again, as I looked back to my goals in 2016 I realized that many of those goals had deadlines or some external motivation that forced me to achieve my goals.  For example, one of the goals I had was to become a bereavement doula.  The training had a scheduled training and a set deadline to finish all the needed items for certification.  Those deadlines were a big reason I finished and became certified.  But why was I not committed to my spiritual goals, like my personal development goals?  I didn’t have a strong enough internal motivation or external motivation.  I had not real concrete deadline.  I want to progress spiritual, but don’t we have eternity to do that?  As a procrastinator, eternity is a hard deadline for ensuring any results.  The commitment I needed was with myself. 

Which brings me to the second step and that is progression and attainment.  Elder Ashton says “In setting our own goals we need to examine our own needs and abilities.  The direction in which we are moving is more important than where we are at the moment.  Goal setting should cause us to stretch as we make our way.

Elder Hilbig said “The path to eternal life is not on a plateau. Rather it is on an incline, ever onward and upward”

Overcoming complacency and finding the motivation to progress are the first steps to improving the course of your life.

Elder Ashton asks “Am I sufficiently committed to righteous goals? 

I considered my goals.  I had worthwhile goals but I wanted to grow spiritual as well as academically.  I looked at my home and family and I understood that I needed to have a lot of internal motivation to achieve those spiritual goals with eternal rewards.

In the article Navigating the current of your life, it states “if your life’s progress seems like it comes to a standstill, catch a current of motivation and keep improving.  Whatever your personal goal reaching incentives may be, get moving!!

Dale Carnegie once said “If you are not in the process of becoming the person you want to be, you are automatically engaged in becoming the person you don’t want to be.”

I want to be spiritually enriched, so I can enrich those around me.  I want to have a home that is like unto Zion.  If I don’t commit to spiritual goals as I commit to other ones, I am not becoming the person I want to be.

Another hurdle many of us face in achieving our goals is the realization that we can’t achieve all our goals at once.  We might fail or falter and with that comes disappointment which in turn can cause us to stop our progression   Elder Ashton states “It is wise and proper to make the most of every opportunity.  But don’t quit or weep because of failure or disappointments.  “A truly committed person does not falter in the face of adversity.  According to 1 Nephi3:7 the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”

If we know what Heavenly Father wants for us, we also know that he will provide a way.

I realized that even though I wasn’t successful in my spiritual goals, God will give me the necessary abilities and opportunities to achieve them.  I realized that I did better in 2016 than I did in 2015.  I didn’t even record anything for that year, at least not consistently.  So, I did progress and this year I will continue to progress onward and upward.

Elder Ashton also says “the difference between those committed and those who are not is the difference between the words want and will.  For example, I want to pay tithing but our funds are so limited or I will pay my tithing.”

My personal example is “I want to have FHE ( Family Home Evening) but we are so busy.  Instead, I told my children.  We will hold FHE weekly!!!   

 Know that God can help you succeed.  President Monson said “Although we are left to find and follow that path which will lead us back to our Father in Heaven.  He did not send us here without directions and guidance.  He will assist us as we seek his help and strive to do all in our power to endure to the end and gain eternal life.

We have a powerful tool to help us achieve our righteous goals.  Heavenly Father! He is here to help us.  But as a loving father he is also there when we fall behind or fail to achieve our goals.

If you set your goals and fall short of achieving them, remember God loves you every day.  President Uctdorf said He loves you today with a full understanding of your struggles..he knows of your remorse for the times you have fallen short or failed.  And he still loves you.  He wants you to achieve your destiny to return to your heavenly home in honor. 

We are not perfect which is why it is important to understand that we must be committed to move forward and upward.  Always move forward even when we stumble back. 

Rejoice in the goals you meet, and learn from those you don’t.  It is not a failure when you learn and grow from even those goals you did not accomplish. 

Elder Ashton concludes his talk saying, it is not too late to commit ourselves to living the gospel totally while here on earth.  Each day we must be committed to lofty Christian performance because commitment to the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ is essential to our eternal joy and happiness.  The time to commit and recommit is now.

Brothers and Sister, in this new year, consider your commitments.  Set righteous goals both spiritually and temporally and if you falter recommit and continue to recommit.  Heavenly Father has faith in you and he wants you to succeed.