Living on Purpose

​Do you have a personal mission statement and coordinating goals and objectives?  Companies, organizations, and many churches have carefully written out their mission statements, goals, and objectives at one time or another.  Many don’t update these as necessary to meet changing dynamics.  There is a power in having and maintaining these as a corporate organization, family, and individuals.  That’s right; we should prayerfully consider our mission, goals, and objectives as individuals, couples, and families and carefully put them to words.
Often as Christians we understand that we are to represent Christ to a hurting world, but we don’t examine and resolve to follow specifics beyond that vague call.  According to Barna Research, sharing faith is increasingly optional to Christians and almost half of practicing Christian Millennials say evangelism is wrong. 
Jesus taught that a house without a firm foundation will surely fall (Matthew 7:24-27).  If we don’t prayerfully choose and embrace our purpose, we are much more likely to be swayed by the lies that seek to overtake our thoughts and attitudes. 
As an English teacher, I became accustomed to developing a yearly mission, monthly goals, and daily objectives for my students’ learning. 
The mission was the long-term, overarching purpose, the change they should come away with at the end of the year.
The monthly goals derived from the long-term mission, or purpose, for their being in the class and broke down the mission into what I intended for them to achieve.
The daily objectives were actionable steps we would take to achieve the larger goals.
The mission is one, overarching statement regarding your purpose.  You’ll have several goals and even more objectives as they outline the singular steps to accomplish your goals as you live your mission.
As a Christian, my mission affects how I live every aspect of life—professional and personal, so I will have several goals that represent different aspects of my life and are all connected back to my overarching, life-shaping mission to serve others in Christ’s love to connect them to God.  I will have goals as a writer, a wife, a mother, etcetera.
How this looks for a Christian might be something like this:
My Mission: To serve others in Christ’s love to connect them to God.
Writing Goal: To write and share engaging content that will initiate or deepen others’ relationship with Jesus Christ.
Writing Objectives:

• Take classes and workshops and research as necessary to become a better writer
• Join writers groups to engage with other writers
• Maintain a weekly blog
• Prayerfully seek writing opportunities for practice, contests, and publication

Physically Healthy Marriage Goal: live healthy to affect and influence my husband’s health choices
Physically Healthy Marriage Objectives:

• Prepare and eat balanced meals everyday
• Grow healthy foods and create yummy recipes using healthy, whole foods
• Replace processed foods with healthier options
• Exercise and do my physical therapy as prescribed
• Encourage my husband to exercise
• Assist in busy schedule to foster time for husband to exercise

I pray that you will see the importance of having a strong foundation so your house won’t fall.  Winds, rains, and other attacks are inevitable.  Be prepared with a strong foundation on Jesus Christ’s sacrifice that gives us the privilege and responsibility to live our purpose every day.  Take some time to prayerfully seek clarity for your purpose and write a mission statement for yourself.  Next, prayerfully seek God’s guidance for your goals and the daily objectives that will bring them to fruition.  Be realistic when setting goals and objectives.  Think of your obligations and daily schedule.  You won’t be scrapping your schedule but may alter it as it becomes guided by your goals.  Lastly, be patient with yourself.  If you’ve prayed and you feel a strong conviction to accomplish certain goals but cannot figure out how, continue seeking God.  He will honor your requests that are in accordance with His will (1 John 5:14-15). 
Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, I want to live according to Your will.  I know Your plans are best.  Help me to understand my purpose and design goals to accomplish what You have for me to do.  I seek Your divine wisdom in setting my daily objectives to achieve the goals that will lead others to You.  I give You all the honor and glory for all You ordain for me to accomplish.  In Jesus Christ’s name, the only name with all the power of heaven, amen.