I Thought Writing It Down Was Enough
There was a time when I would sit down, get my notebook, and start writing out all my goals.
I had ideas.
I had plans.
I had things I wanted to accomplish.
And in my mind, I thought:
“If I just write it down, it’s going to come together.”
So I wrote everything out.
Goals for my life.
Goals for things I wanted to do.
Ideas I felt good about.
And some things started happening…
But not everything.
Some things moved forward.
But other things just stayed the same.
And I remember sitting there thinking:
“What am I doing wrong?”
Because I was putting in effort.
I was thinking things through.
I was trying.
But something was missing.
The Question That Changed Everything
I talk to my uncle often, and one day he asked me something simple—but powerful.
He said:
“Did you pray about it?”
And I had to pause.
Because the honest answer was…
No.
I was writing my goals down.
But I wasn’t taking them to God.
I wanted things to happen.
But I wasn’t asking God to guide them.
And that right there was the problem.
I Was Moving Without God
I had the vision…
But I didn’t have direction.
I had the idea…
But I didn’t have confirmation.
I was moving forward based on what I thought was right…
Instead of asking God what He wanted.
Proverbs 3:6 (KJV) says:
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Not some ways.
Not when it’s convenient.
In all your ways.
That means even your goals.
Even your plans.
Even your ideas.
Once I Started Praying — Things Shifted
After that conversation, I made a change.
I didn’t stop writing my goals…
But I started praying over them.
Every goal.
Every idea.
Every plan.
I brought it to God.
“Lord, is this for me?”
“Show me what to do.”
“Guide my steps.”
And something started happening.
Not overnight.
Not all at once.
But little by little…
Things started coming together.
God Didn’t Move Fast — But He Moved Right
Let me be real with you.
It didn’t happen immediately.
But I started seeing progress.
Doors opening.
Clarity coming.
Steps becoming clearer.
And that’s when I realized:
God’s timing is not rushed…
But it’s always right.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV):
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
That means your goals have timing.
And when you pray over them…
You align yourself with God’s timing—not your own.
I Started Tracking What God Did
This part right here means a lot to me.
Once I started praying over my goals…
I also started documenting what God was doing.
I would write down:
The goal
The date I prayed about it
And then…
When it happened.
Yes.
I would go back and write the date and time God answered it.
And let me tell you…
That feeling?
There’s nothing like it.
To look back and say:
“God did that.”
Not luck.
Not coincidence.
God.
Habakkuk 2:2 (KJV) says:
“Write the vision, and make it plain…”
But don’t just write it…
Pray over it.
Even When It Didn’t Happen — I Learned Something
Now here’s the part a lot of people don’t talk about.
Some things I prayed over…
Didn’t happen.
At least—not when I thought they would.
And at first, I didn’t understand.
But then I realized something:
Maybe I wasn’t ready.
Or maybe…
It wasn’t meant for me at all.
And instead of getting frustrated, I found peace in that.
Because God sees what I don’t see.
He knows what I’m ready for.
He knows what’s best for me.
Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV):
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you… thoughts of peace, and not of evil…”
That means God’s plan is better than mine.
Prayer Aligns Your Goals With Purpose
Here’s what I’ve learned:
When you don’t pray over your goals…
You’re just moving on your own understanding.
But when you pray…
You invite God into the process.
You’re not just asking for results.
You’re asking for direction.
You’re saying:
“Lord, lead me.”
“Lord, show me.”
“Lord, order my steps.”
And when you do that…
Your goals become aligned with purpose.
Stop Going Headfirst Without God
A lot of us do this.
We get excited about something…
And we jump right into it.
No prayer.
No confirmation.
No direction.
Just movement.
And then when things don’t work out…
We’re confused.
But the truth is:
We didn’t include God.
Psalm 127:1 (KJV):
“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it…”
That means if God is not in it…
It won’t stand.
There’s Power in Slowing Down
I had to learn how to slow down.
Not every idea needs to be rushed.
Not every goal needs to happen immediately.
Sometimes you need to pause and ask:
“God, is this You?”
Because when it’s from Him…
It will come together the right way.
The Peace That Comes With Prayer
One thing I love about praying over my goals is this:
Even when things don’t happen right away…
I have peace.
Because I know I gave it to God.
Philippians 4:6 (KJV):
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer… let your requests be made known unto God.”
That means bring everything to Him.
Even your goals.
Final Thought: Write It — But Pray First
So now, I still write my goals.
But I don’t stop there.
I pray over them.
I give them to God.
I trust Him with the outcome.
And when He moves…
I go back and write it down.
Because I want to remember what He did.
So let me encourage you:
Don’t just set goals…
Pray over them.
Don’t just plan…
Ask God to guide you.
Don’t just move…
Make sure He’s leading you.
Because when God is in it…
Everything changes.
Reflection Questions
1. Have I been setting goals without praying over them?
2. What goals do I need to bring before God right now?
3. Am I trusting God’s timing or rushing my own?
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for reminding me that I don’t have to do anything on my own. Help me to bring every goal, every plan, and every idea before You. Guide my steps and show me what is meant for me. Give me patience to wait on Your timing and wisdom to follow Your direction. I trust You with everything I’m working toward. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Hugs and Love,
Ty 🤍
Encouraged by Faith