#goals

hair goals
family goals
body goals
makeup goals
girlfriend goals
boyfriend goals
goals
goals
goals

How many times have you seen one of these so-called "goals" on social media? I'll be the first to admit that I've seen them, and said them, often. We all have goals. Things we want to accomplish for ourselves, or for others.

I'm not saying that it's bad to have goals. Goals are GOOD. They keep us motivated, they give us something to shoot for, and when they're achieved, they give us a sense of pride and accomplishment! Goals are not bad, but they "why" behind our goals are what gets us into trouble.

Do we have body goals so that that guy/girl will notice us? Do we have family goals so that we will feel like we measure up among our social circles? Do we have makeup goals so that those girls will finally be friends with us? Do we have goals for our significant other so that we will feel fulfilled by that relationship?

A lot of times these desires turn into unhealthy pursuits that hurt us. We starve ourselves, we get ourselves into bad relationships, we settle for things we shouldn't, we compromise who God made us to be in order to live up to a goal.

I'm not going to pretend that I've never said/thought about accomplishing some of these goals. I think about it constantly--if I want someone to notice me, like me, be friends with me I must first pull myself together and achieve these goals for myself. It's hard not to think that way when the media bombards young women and young men with pictures and descriptions of what they should strive to be like, look like, and act like.

But God--the creator of the universe, of heaven and earth, of the land we walk on, the oceans we swim in, the stars we wonder at--looks at us and sees such beauty. When God formed us, he did so with a plan in mind. He does not look at us and say, "I wish she'd put some makeup on that face I created," or "I wish he/she would do something about that body I created. They aren't doing my work justice." God sees his creation with such pride. He sees beauty and purpose and perfection in the human beings that he created. He saw us before anyone else saw us. He knew us before anyone else knew us. He loved us before anyone else loved us. To him, these "goals" only get in the way of the purpose for his divinely created and dearly loved people.

I'll end my rant with this: you, yes you, are spectacularly made. You are amazing. God sees you. God knows you. His goals for you go far beyond your hair, your face, or your body, and his love for you knows no bounds.

Amen. That is something I can get behind.