Fulfilling Your Purpose: How Knowing Who You Are Can Change Your World Sample

Jesus made several statements that reflected his mission. He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45). He came to offer abundant life (John 10:10), to preach the kingdom of God (Luke 4:43), and to testify to the truth (John 18:37). He quoted a messianic passage from Isaiah to declare that he was the fulfillment of long-awaited promises (Luke 4:16-21). He knew why he had come into this world.

Paul had a similar sense of mission. He knew he was called as an apostle to Gentiles (Acts 9:15, 22:21; Romans 11:13), an ambassador of God and minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19-20), and a bondservant of Jesus (Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1). His ministry took various turns and carried him to unexpected places at times, but he never lost his focus. He knew what he was sent to do.

Not all of us will live with that degree of clarity, but having a sense of mission is important. And articulating that sense of mission—developing a personal mission statement, deciding what is really important in life, discerning how our gifts best intersect with the world’s needs—will help us keep moving toward it without getting distracted. Though God orchestrates our circumstances and directs our paths, and though his Spirit may change our direction as mysteriously as the wind shifts (John 3:8), far too many Christians live passively, knowing what they were saved from without knowing what they were saved for. Prayerful assessment of life, location, career, relationships, habits, and all other relevant components of a calling will help you fulfill your God-given mission.

Spend some time asking God what your mission is in this world. What is he calling you to do? For what purposes did he create you, design you, redeem you, and restore you into his kingdom? Write out a personal mission statement that will keep you on track, even if it needs to be adjusted in later seasons. Live intentionally, knowing why you are here.

Prayer: Lord, you are the director, the renovator, the orchestrator of my life. What purpose do you want me to fulfill? How do you want me to use my gifts? How are you sending me into the world? Give me clear direction and help me follow it faithfully. Amen.