Several months ago, a single friend of mine told me, “My goal is to be married by my next birthday.” To be honest, her statement startled me. I wanted to say, “But that’s not within your control!” Instead, however, I nodded and smiled because I didn’t really know how to respond. I completely understood her desire to get married, but I worried about the steps she might take to achieve her goal.
The reason I’m sharing what my friend told me about getting married is it relates to setting goals, which we typically do at this time of year. It’s possible you feel pressure—from yourself and/or other people—to make something specific happen in 2026, like get a certification or degree, change jobs, start a business, buy a house, find a husband, or have a baby. And maybe you want to make it happen but aren’t confident you can make it happen. That’s why I’m writing this post, friends.
Grace for Goal-Setters
When I started my job at the Christian ministry where I currently work, I took an assessment about my strengths, and it revealed that one of my top strengths is achieving things. Honestly, I wasn’t super surprised. I’ve been a slave-driver (of myself) for a long time. Ironically, even though my name is Grace, I don’t give myself or others much grace. Let me share an example with you (in third person…just for fun):
Grace began writing her second book several years ago—basically as soon as her first book got published. She’s worked on her second book for countless hours. She’s spent her weeknights, her weekends, and even her paid time off working on it. She’s written and rewritten and rewritten various sections in an effort to make every section perfect.
Although Grace has tried to get her second book traditionally published, God has kept the traditional publishing door shut, so she’s shifted her focus toward self-publishing. Her goal is to self-publish it in 2026…specifically in the spring…specifically in mid-May. Yay for Grace.
But wait. Grace forgot something very important: She isn’t in control of what happens—or doesn’t happen—in 2026. She might need to open her hands and lower her expectations. In fact, Grace might need to give herself some grace.
(Not) Fully Capable
Maybe you can relate to Grace. The year ahead excites you but also terrifies you. You know all the steps you need to take to get _____ [insert self-imposed goal] done by _____ [insert self-imposed deadline]. You’re enthusiastic. You’re focused. You’re an achiever. “Surely I can make this happen,” you tell yourself on December 31.
But on January 1, some doubts creep into your mind: “What if I can’t achieve this goal? What if I can’t meet my deadline? What if I can’t make this happen?”
Remember the title of this post? Well, one thing we should keep in mind as we set goals for 2026 is this: Achieving our goals isn’t always within our control.
Honestly, the achiever in me is both a strength and a weakness. I already mentioned my struggle with giving grace to myself and others. Plus, I have some very annoying things in my life called “limitations” that sometimes hold me back and remind me I’m not actually in control. Maybe you have them too.
Better Wisdom, Might, and Riches
Thus says the Lord, “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understand and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV)
To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to talk about in this post. (I can really feel my limitations when I’m attempting to write holiday-themed posts.) But then I found this passage from Jeremiah and realized what I needed to talk about.
When we boast, we usually focus on ourselves. We brag about our wisdom, might, and riches. We share what we know, accomplish, and obtain. We talk about things that make us feel like we’re in control.
But when I read this passage, it feels like a gentle reminder from the Lord: “Grace, the wisdom, might, and riches you seek can’t even compare to the love, justice, and righteousness that I practice and delight in. So come and partake of them. Know Me. Understand Me. Boast in Me.”
You can control how much time you devote to knowing God and becoming like Him. You can control how much time you spend reading, studying, and memorizing Scripture. You can control how much time you spend praying, worshipping, and serving. (The list goes on, but I’ll stop there.)
Only the Lord knows what 2026 will hold and what you’ll accomplish in it. So as you set your goals for the year, remember your limitations. Understand what’s within your control and trust God with what’s not. Have a happy New Year, friends.
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