Personal Purpose Statement
I confess...I was going to borrow the title of today's post from a daily devotion I found through my friend. The devotion can be found here. The title of yesterday's devotion was "Priorities Reflect Purpose." However when I went back and re-read the devotion, I changed my mind. What I really want to focus on today is the title of this post...my personal purpose statement. The author of the devotion says,
"God has a purpose for each of us. There are aspects of this purpose common to all who follow Christ. Although we may not all choose to word it the same way, it would be very similar to my "personal mission statement." This could also be called my 'personal purpose statement.' ...
But I believe God has also specifically gifted each of us for the unique purpose He has for our life. This purpose varies depending on the gifts and callings God has granted us. In Acts 12:36 we read, "When David had served God's purpose in his own generation." My goal is to serve God's purpose for my life in my generation. Let me ask each reader to consider several questions today, early in this new year of 2008
• Do I know my main purpose in life?
• Do the people who know me clearly observe me living by my purpose?
• Do my priorities in life reflect this purpose?"
Do I know my main purpose in life? Yes, I believe I do. I wrote about it here. (For those who choose not to follow the link, I wrote that my purpose in life is to make His Name famous.)
It is the second question that stopped me in my tracks. Do the people who know me clearly observe me living my purpose? I often struggle with this...the majority of my daylight hours are spent at work. I struggle with how to show others that my priorities are God first, family second, work third while in the work place. I know that my speech indicates that I never use foul language, but does that show me living my purpose? I believe that my actions are honorable - I don't cheat, I don't steal, I don't...but does that show that I am committed to making His Name famous or does it just show that I'm a moral, law-abiding citizen? I lift others up by encouraging and praying for them. But yet, I think I'm missing something.
Do my priorities reflect this purpose? Well, my family is important to me and I pray that it is evident they are important. My involvement in our local family of believers is a priority. Those who know anything about me could say they know this to be true.
But even given all this, how do I live out my personal purpose statement? What is it that I am not doing or doing wrong that leaves me feeling like I have missed the mark? Perhaps the start is to define my personal purpose statement so as to make a commitment to living by it. After much thought (and re-reading previous post on making His Name famous), here it is:
I have been made by God for His glory alone. He has redeemed me by the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. In response, the natural cry of my heart is to proclaim God's salvation and all that it brings to everyone I come in contact with. I am so filled with joy that I have but one goal, one purpose in life...to make His Name famous.
It is the second question that stopped me in my tracks. Do the people who know me clearly observe me living my purpose? I often struggle with this...the majority of my daylight hours are spent at work. I struggle with how to show others that my priorities are God first, family second, work third while in the work place. I know that my speech indicates that I never use foul language, but does that show me living my purpose? I believe that my actions are honorable - I don't cheat, I don't steal, I don't...but does that show that I am committed to making His Name famous or does it just show that I'm a moral, law-abiding citizen? I lift others up by encouraging and praying for them. But yet, I think I'm missing something.
Do my priorities reflect this purpose? Well, my family is important to me and I pray that it is evident they are important. My involvement in our local family of believers is a priority. Those who know anything about me could say they know this to be true.
But even given all this, how do I live out my personal purpose statement? What is it that I am not doing or doing wrong that leaves me feeling like I have missed the mark? Perhaps the start is to define my personal purpose statement so as to make a commitment to living by it. After much thought (and re-reading previous post on making His Name famous), here it is:
I have been made by God for His glory alone. He has redeemed me by the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. In response, the natural cry of my heart is to proclaim God's salvation and all that it brings to everyone I come in contact with. I am so filled with joy that I have but one goal, one purpose in life...to make His Name famous.
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