What is your goal in life?

Have you got big plans for what you'll do after school is finished?

I lead a group of girls at youth group and it is nearing that time of year when they will soon face their final school exams. And the question everyone keeps asking them is:

“What are you going to do when you leave school?”

Or put another way,

“Do you have any goals you want to achieve in life?”

What's on your list?

Now it’s an interesting question and often a good conversation starter – and to be honest, the question isn’t only reserved for those finishing school. We ask it of people all the time. And what are people’s responses? They are often things like:

Get my dream job
Buy a house
Have a family
Potentially even be famous one day

Now these things aren't wrong in and of themselves, but making them the god (or main goal) of our lives misses out on something crucial – what God want our goal in life to be.

God's goal for your life

In James 1:2-4, the author outlines what one of God’s goals for our life is, saying...

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Did you see it there? God wants us to be “mature and complete, not lacking anything”.

Does this mean that he wants us to lacking nothing in this world, to have the perfect life, family, house and job? No! God wants us to be lacking nothing of spiritual value.

As we live out our lives for Jesus and wait for His return, God gives us “every spiritual blessing” (Eph 1:3) and he makes sure that we are “not lacking any spiritual gift” (1 Cor 1:7). And it is He who helps us to mature into the men and women of faith that He wants us to be, becoming more and more “conformed into the likeness of His Son” (Rom 8:29).

Your main goal

So what should your main goal in life be?

Not those great school results. Not the perfect relationship. Not the dream job. Not the perfect house with the picket fence. But instead, it should be to become spiritually mature, complete in your faith and becoming more and more like Jesus every day.

Make this your life goal and you will live a life that look radically different and that brings glory to God!