God doesn't just care about your goals for 2026 – He wants to be at the centre of them.
Goals are as unique as we are, and as Christians we have the incredible opportunity to set goals that aren't just about self-improvement, but about partnering with God in His purposes for our lives. Here's how to approach goal-setting this year in a way that honours both your ambitions and your faith.
Start With Prayer, Not Planning
Before you open that spreadsheet or journal, open your Bible and your heart. Spend quality time in prayer, asking God to reveal what He wants for you this year. Not just what you want from Him, but what He wants to do through you.
Here's the reality: If your goals only glorify yourself, they're spiritually empty. But when you pray through your goals first, you create space for God to redirect, refine, or completely rewrite them.
As Proverbs 16:3 reminds us, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Notice the order, commit first, then watch Him establish.
This isn't a one-time prayer in January. Make it a rhythm. Read your Bible daily. Let God's Word shape not just your goals, but your entire mindset for the year.
Get Specific and Write It Down
Vague goals produce vague results. “Get healthier” isn't a goal. Running 5K by March is. “Improve my finances” isn't measurable. Saving $5,000 by December is. Be specific, set timeframes, and make your goals measurable.
Then write them down. Habakkuk 2:2 says, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.” There's power in putting pen to paper. It's an act of faith, declaring what you believe God can do in and through you this year.
Bring Your Brothers Into It
Here's what many of us miss: You weren't meant to chase your goals alone. Christian men need other Christian men – not just for Sunday morning handshakes, but for real accountability and prayer support.
Find or form a men's group this year. Share your goals with brothers who will pray for you, challenge you, and celebrate with you. James 5:16 tells us to “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
When you invite other men into your journey, you tap into something powerful – the collective strength of brothers walking with God together.
Set some goals as a group too. Read through a book of the Bible together. Memorise Scripture. Serve your community. Shared goals create bonds that last.
Celebrate the Wins, Big and Small
When God answers a prayer or you hit a milestone, celebrate it. Mark it somehow. In 1 Samuel 7:12, after God gave Israel victory, Samuel set up a stone and named it “Ebenezer,” saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
What if you kept your own Ebenezers this year? Journal entries, photos, even physical markers of where God showed up. These become testimonies, not just for you, but for others who need to know that God is still moving.
Think Bigger Than This Year
Finally, include at least one God-sized goal, something that seems crazy, that you couldn't possibly achieve without Him. Big goals turn us into bigger men. They stretch our faith and force us to depend on God rather than our own abilities.
Maybe it's something that'll take years. That's okay. Our God moves mountains. The question isn't whether you can do it, it's whether you're willing to trust Him through it.
So men, let's step into 2026 with our Bibles open, our brothers beside us, and our goals surrendered to the God who already knows how this year unfolds. He's inviting you into something greater than you could plan alone.
Let's go!
Blessings,
PKNZ Team.
