7 Spiritual Goals Examples (2023)
Spiritual goals can help you connect closer to God and your faith. Achieving them may help you develop a greater sense of purpose and meaning in life.
We’ve undergone a lot of adversity in the last few years. It’s caused many of us to turn inward and pursue spiritual growth to help make sense of it all. Spirituality can be effective in providing us with a feeling of clarity and peace.
What Are Spiritual Goals?
Spiritual-based goals are objectives we strive to achieve with the purpose of connecting closer to God. In some cases, people may pursue these goals to reach a deeper form of existence.
That desire for deeper meaning and fulfillment is why spiritual-based goals can be helpful. They lead us to find the answers we need to feel connected to something greater than us.
Spiritual Goals Examples
Spiritual-based goals can vary given the many religious beliefs out there. While the goals I have listed may largely be influenced by my Christian upbringing, even someone who is not Christian may find them useful. With that said, here are some great goals to enhance your spirituality in 2023.
- Read your Bible daily
- Pray throughout the day
- Attend church regularly
- Follow Biblical teachings
- Watch different sermons
- Listen to worship music often
- Seek advice from a pastor or spiritual advisor
7 Spiritual Goals
1. Read the Bible daily
The Bible can provide a lot of wise thoughts on how to connect deeper with God and live a more fulfilled life. Take time to read a little bit of the text every day.
You can read a verse a day, a chapter a day, or however much you’re comfortable with. When you’re reading, try to focus on the larger points being made.
Some are in the habit of interpreting the text beyond the actual words being said. Perhaps a better approach is to take it for what it says and try to recognize the main point being made. According to research by Lifeway, those who read their Bible at least four times a week saw a significant decrease in feelings of loneliness, anger, and bitterness.
2. Pray throughout the day
Praying is a chance for your to communicate to God and let out whatever you’re feeling. There have been numerous studies on the benefits of praying. Here are a few you might find noteworthy.
- A Psychological Science article reported that research had proven prayer can calm our nervous system and make us less reactive to negative emotions.
- Florida State University researchers concluded that praying for a romantic partner can help you be more cooperative and forgiving towards them.
- A WebMD article titled, Can Prayer Heal, reported research that suggests praying for others’ healing can have positive effects.
3. Attend church regularly
Going to church is a way for you to connect with other people who are in pursuit of God and a deeper purpose. Some studies have concluded that it also helps to reduce the risk of mortality. Try going to different churches until you find one that you feel comfortable in.
4. Follow Biblical teachings
Actions usually give us some kind of feeling of progress or success. Try following some of the teachings you read about in the Bible. Examples of actions that are encouraged include:
- Giving to the poor
- Praying for others
- Singing hymns
5. Watch different sermons
Everyone has a different perspective when it comes to pursuing God and finding meaning in life. Listening to different pastors or other spiritual leaders may give you some good insight. You might not agree with everything you hear, but you might hear something that connects with you on a deep level.
6. Listen to worship music often
Music can help guide us into a certain frame of mind. When you listen to music focused on sadness, you’re probably more likely to feel sad. So similarly, listening to worship music may help guide your thoughts towards God and faith.
7. Seek advice from a pastor or spiritual advisor
Remember that pastors and spiritual leaders usually have studied their faith for many years. They may even have an educational background in religion.
Asking them about how to connect with God might give you some great guidance on what to do. They can provide insight based on what they know from their studies and also personal experience.
Related: 111 Goals For 2023 (New Year Personal Goals Examples)