Mission Accomplished…“For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your brothers but carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you.” Joshua 22:3
Your mission keeps you honest and accountable. It is what God uses to measure the effectiveness of your life. He has created you for a specific purpose with a specific plan. You can rest assured that your mission involves loving Him and loving others, as these are His two greatest commandments. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). Love lingers long and hard on behalf of the Lord.
Your mission is a time-saver as it is a filter for decision-making. It gives you permission to say no to many things and yes to a few things. Your mission is your friend, your motivator and your protector. Embrace it and let it empower you. Then live your life intentionally, rather than drifting and missing God’s best. So, how can you discover and live out God’s mission for your life and work?
Your mining for your mission begins with God. How has He gifted you? What are your passions and what do you do well? Will the mission you are considering be pleasing and acceptable to Him and to those who care about you the most? What are your roles in life? You may be a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister, a parent, a friend, a leader, a husband, or a wife. Consider the influence of your life’s roles and weave those into your purpose.
Your personal and professional mission should support and encourage alignment between the two. For example, if your personal mission is to be family friendly and your professional responsibilities require you to travel extensively, you may need to re-evaluate. If your career is currently demanding an inordinate amount of time, make sure your spouse and children understand this is temporary so that they can support your efforts.
Your mission should be a regular monitor of who you are and what you are doing. Start today and define who you are by God’s definition. What He would have you to do at this stage of life, for your mission can evolve over time. Write it down or update it and keep it in front of you. Then one day, like Jesus, you can say mission accomplished. “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4).
What is God’s purpose for my personal and professional life? Are they aligned? Am I on purpose for God?
Note: my personal mission is to glorify God by being a faithful husband, available father, loyal friend and loving leader. My professional mission is to equip ministries for Christ!
Related Readings: Exodus 9:16; Psalm 57:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; Revelation 17:17
Transformational Living
What did I learn from the Lord in today’s Bible reading?
How will I respond?
