“Each of us has a mission in life. … One of the most important spiritual disciplines is to develop the knowledge that the years of our lives are years ‘on a mission.'”
- Knowing our mission and striving to realize our full potential helps us get out of bed in the morning
- Knowing our mission and striving to realize our full potential helps us serve those we’re meant to serve
- Knowing our mission and striving to realize our full potential helps us fulfill our mission
- Knowing our mission and striving to realize our full potential helps us achieve success
“Musicians must make music, artists must paint, poets must write if they are to be ultimately at peace with themselves. What human beings can be, they must be. They must be true to their own nature. This need we may call self-actualization… It refers to man’s desire for self-fulfillment, namely to the tendency for him to become actually in what he is potentially: to become everything one is capable of becoming.”
~Abraham Maslow
Knowing Your Mission Gives You Clarity
Jesus prays for his followers, “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18). Just as Jesus brought his Father glory on earth by completing the work he was given, we are called to do likewise.
“We seldom realize fully that we are sent to fulfill God-given tasks. We act as if we have to choose how, where, and with whom to live. We act as if we were simply dropped down in creation and have to decide how to entertain ourselves until we die. But we were sent into the world by God, just as Jesus was. Once we start living our lives with that conviction, we will soon know what we were sent to do.”
~Henri J.M. Nouwen
- Know you are here on earth for a reason.
- Discover the details with enthusiasm.
- Pray for guidance and step out in faith.
With that clarity of calling, you’ll bust through barriers of fear and doubt and self-imposed limitations.
With that clarity of calling, you’ll step out in faith on the (sometimes) long, winding road to success.
Knowing Your Mission Gives You Confidence
God fully equips us for our “good works” (2 Timothy 3: 16-17).
As we discern who we are and what we’re meant to do on earth, God equips us to fulfill our mission through meditation on His Word, through our prayers, through our experiences, and through our relationships.
We gain more and more confidence as we see the results of our mission (the fruits of our labors) unfold.
Knowing Your Mission Gives You Courage
You know, Mom, it’s funny… I was so upset last night about leaving Oman in just ten days and praying about how I can best use my time left here and being so worried and troubled… and this morning God answered my prayers and showed me my mission in life. It may not be in the way I like it; it so rarely is. …But this morning for one of the first times I truly felt it fit me like a glove and I accepted it–my mission is to spread truth and understanding. It’s as simple and complex as that. It is to spread the light of truth in a world of rhetoric, darkness, and hate, and a mission such as that deserves any effort or pain on my part. Anything.
Just some morning thoughts from your introvert daughter.
All the best. Coming home to see you soon.
Love,
Brett
- For some people, their missions are relatively “safe.”
- For others, their missions require a boldness that comes with conviction and certainty that they are “sent into the world, just as Jesus was” (Henri J.M. Nouwen)–missions that require an inner knowing that God will fully equip them for the good works they are called to do.
- Lives are being changed for the better as Brett fulfills her God-given calling.
- Lives are being changed for the better as she strives to achieve success:
“What is success? To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate the beauty; To find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch Or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; This is to have succeeded.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
- What steps can you take today to know your mission and fulfill the work God has given you to do?
- What steps can you take today to achieve success?
Jory, thank you so much for sharing the message from your daughter Brett. She is wise beyond her years. You must be so proud.
She’s a gem to be sure, Sigrid. I hope she reads this and sees your comment!
Thank you so much.
Warmly,
Jory
Whew!
Where to start?…
This is a huge subject, and yet a profound one.
Knowing our mission can be as general as “We are here to glorify God” to as specific as “I am called to disciple native pastors in a 3d world setting through teaching.”
I agree with you, that the more specific we can be about who we are created to be, the more freedom, liberty and fulfillment it brings into our lives.
It’s the journey of discovering that “mission” that sometimes takes a person a lifetime to figure out.
And I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. Thankfully for your daughter, she has discovered it. (if she becomes married, her role will change, but her mission can still be the same)
Great post Jory!
-Martin
Thank you, Martin. Some people I know refer to what you describe as our General and Specific Callings or our Primary and Secondary Callings…. and to our roles as spouses, parents, and children (for example) as our Duties and Responsibilities. They then put all of that together under the category “Mission.”
Henri Nouwen says: “Once we start living our lives with that conviction, we will soon know what we were sent to do.” Maybe we should say that it can take a lifetime to live with that much conviction!!!!
On the journey with you,
Jory
Jory, you touched on so many important points here and I appreciate you sharing your daughter’s journey to solidify your views on having a mission.
Our mission is really a life’s work. It is constantly revealing itself more clearly as we learn new things, experience different situations and encounter challenges and successes. It reminds me of this scripture:
Phil 1:6 – being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
For most of us, our mission is still a work being made perfect.
– Alex
Keen insight, Alex, and so true. How very comforting to know that the Holy Spirit is with us on our journey –> that we are not called to complete our missions alone.
AND how very comforting to know that God brings people into our lives to help us carry on our work to completion.
How wonderful that our lives and missions are entwined!
Thank you, Alex.
Jory
I believe we do all have a mission in life and sometimes is not always clear what that may be. One of your statements is that knowing our missions helps us to get out of bed in the morning. I think people who have lost their mission in life certainly struggle with getting out of bed. Once they find it again though they have a spring in their step.
Very insightful of you, Linda! (And sometimes a ‘cuppa joe’ helps too….)
I’m always curious how people find their mission in life. For some it seems so easy; for others it’s a long, winding road full of twists and turns.
For all it’s an adventure!
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and leave a comment.
Blessings,
Jory
I like the depth of the article. Quite refreshing, I love anything to do with purpose. God made mine so clear to me from when I got born again!
I agree with what you say here: “Knowing Your Mission Gives You Confidence.” It surely does; I can testify of that. Without confidence there is no success. We must focus on what God has given us each to do!
I love the fact that there is a natural way in which we express what we’ve been placed in the earth to do….most of the time we are doing it unconsciously anyway, but often times we do not see it, but others seem to. We often need reassurance, like Samuel needed Eli’s voice to know that it was God’s voice that he was hearing.
I also like the quotes, I’ll share one or two the FB Kingdom Wealth Creation forum.
Every Blessing!
Davida, your comment, “We must focus on what God has given us each to do!” speaks to me loud and clear. How easy it is to wander off on our own paths… not necessarily to do something evil … but to do what our minds conjure up rather than what our souls discern to be our God-given purpose. So much time is wasted pursuing this and pursuing that when, with some “checking in” with God, we could be oh so clear about our specific calling. Believe me, I speak from experience on this one. Can you relate?
Thank you for reading my post and taking the time to reflect “out loud”!
On the journey with you,
Jory
Jory, as always you inspire, and encourage without indicting. I’ve had a recent epiphany about my mission/purpose and clarity has helped embolden me and assure me. Thanks for the good work you do.
Mission clarity is ALWAYS a good thing … even if we find out that our mission is, well, seemingly impossible. The more challenging the mission the more we need to seek spiritual guidance and strength. (Matthew 19:26)
Love you, Diane. Carry on!