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Setting goals can be a wise and worthwhile pursuit. Whether we're building a career, saving for retirement, improving our health, or investing in our families, goals help us live with purpose and intentionality. But how do we pursue our ambitions without allowing success to define us?

Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."

God never intended for our accomplishments to become the measure of our worth. Our identity is secure in Christ, not in what we achieve. That means we can dream boldly, plan wisely, and work faithfully while trusting God with the results.

Bestselling author and entrepreneur Jordan Raynor explores this tension in his book, Redeeming Your Goals: Seven Biblical Principles for Achieving Your Goals with Christ-like Confidence, Consistency, and Character. His message is that Christians don't need less ambition. We need ambition that reflects the heart and purposes of God.

Is ambition itself a problem for Christians? Not according to Raynor.

Jesus Himself lived with a clear purpose. Colossians 1:19–20 describes the remarkable scope of His redemptive work: 

"For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."

And throughout Scripture, believers are called to live intentionally. In Ephesians 5:15–16, Paul writes, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."

The problem, then, isn't necessarily our goals. It's why we're pursuing them and how we measure their success.

Raynor calls Christians to pursue what he describes as redemptive quests—goals pursued with, like, and for God, for His glory and the good of others rather than our own fame or fortune.

Even ordinary ambitions, such as building a business, improving our physical health, or saving for retirement, can become opportunities to glorify God when pursued with the right motives. But there are counterfeit quests that can quietly redirect our ambitions away from God's purposes. Raynor identifies three common examples:

• Renown: Seeking recognition, influence, or personal fame instead of serving others.
• Recreation: Making personal pleasure, experiences, and bucket-list achievements our ultimate pursuits.
• Retirement: Viewing the later years of life as an opportunity to abandon meaningful work in favor of endless leisure.

None of these concerns means that recognition, recreation, or retirement savings are inherently wrong. The danger comes when they become the defining purpose of our lives.

Consider retirement. Preparing financially for a season when we may no longer be able to work for pay is an act of wise stewardship. But retirement from paid employment doesn't mean retirement from God's purposes. 1 Corinthians 15:58 encourages believers:

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

Retirement, then, can become an opportunity to redirect our time and experience toward ment

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