If you had to summarize your life into a few short statements, how would you describe your life? If you were to set 2 or 3 main “life goals”, what would they be?
Last Sunday I finished a 4-week series on the life of Samson from the Old Testament of the Bible. In the final week of the series we did a bit of a recap on the highlights (or really low-lights, I guess) of this interesting, deeply flawed man. Samson basically had one life goal: to defeat and essentially wipe out the Philistines – an ancient, barbaric people group who repeatedly oppressed Israel. This seems like quite a task, but he was gifted by God with supernatural strength to help accomplish this goal. This is really what Samson is known for – his super strength.
Samson’s legacy, however, is one of unmet expectations, untapped potential, and underwhelming results. He never came close to accomplishing his God-given life mission. Not. Even. Close. There are really only three occasions in which he defeated any Philistines, and every time it was for his own gain, safety, or personal revenge. He wasted his life on himself and honestly is seen as a failure. He ended up giving away the secret of his great strength (not cutting his hair), allowed his hair to be cut, was captured, bound, had his eyes gouged out, and was paraded around as a wild animal – or human trophy – and made a laughing stock. Eventually, God grants him one last boost of supernatural strength, which he uses to push over the main pillars of the temple he’s in, causing the roof to collapse and kill every Philistine there, along with himself.
But, Samson lost his vision long before he lost his sight and his life. Really, that’s what cost him his sight and his life. He ignored his singular mission. He got sidetracked with so many other things and it was the end for him.
So, back to you and me. What are your main life goals? Do you even know? Do you even know you need to have them?
Do you ever feel lost in life or in need of direction?
Are you frustrated with your life because you feel like you’re spinning your wheels and going nowhere?
Basically, life is meant to be a marathon, but you’re on a treadmill?
Do you ever wonder if you’re doing what you’re meant to do?
Do you ever wonder if you’re really making a difference?
How do we find direction? How do we hop off the treadmill and get into the race? How can we know we’re on track? As a Christ-follower, how can we know we’re fulfilling God’s plan for our lives?
I was challenged recently by a book I was reading to write a personal mission statement for my life. It seems a bit strange, I admit. I mean, companies, organizations, and churches have mission statements. That makes sense. But, me? I need a mission statement?
The more I thought about it, the more it began to make sense. Why not have a personal mission statement? Why not try to figure out what’s really important? It will help me focus and be more effective. It will help me stay on course and not waste my time – or my life. This may seem very simple, but here is my personal life mission statement:
“Each day it is my aim to…
Honor God in my words and actions,
Love & invest in my family with my time & attention,
Serve my church & community with my talents & treasure.”
Now, you might think, “Really? That’s it? How deep! (sarcasm)”
And the cynical part of me would respond, “Oh yeah!? Let me see your life mission statement. You don’t have one? That’s what I thought. BOOM!” (drops mic and walks away).
But, my actual response would be, “That is what is really important in my life. In that order. That is my gauge for success in life.”
Look at it backwards with me. The way I see it, my church & community don’t matter if I’m not loving & investing in my own family. If I’m a huge “success” as a pastor, but fail my family, I’m a failure in life. And if I don’t love & invest in my family, I’m not honoring God. But if everything I say & do is said & done within the lens of honoring God, then I will love, lead, & serve my family, church, & community well. I believe this will help me stay on track, set other more meaningful short-term goals in life, and will aid in my personal, emotional, & spiritual health.
So, what is your life mission statement? If you have one, does it accurately describe what your mission in life really is? And how are you doing with that?
If you don’t have one, I would strongly encourage you to sit down, think it through, pray it through, and try to put on paper what you want to accomplish with your life. And then everyday set out to do that, only that, and nothing but that. Maintain your vision. Honor God with your life. Make your life really count & make a difference in the world!