Much has been written about Purpose, Mission and Calling. I would like to offer a definitive view, but am also listening as I write this.
Do you live your life on-purpose? I am saddened by how many people I know live their lives from day to day or moment to moment without meaningful intent. With a lack of meaningful intent, the outcome of our lives are left to our own desires and whims and wants and if you’ve lived a while you know the pitfalls of a life lived in this way. But the question is, does God want us to live this way or is there a meaningful intent for our lives?
The answer is yes He does.
As a universal truth I would like to offer this- We all have the same eternal purpose- To know, Love, and Serve God. That said, let me move on the question of Mission, Calling and Purpose in our search for a meaningful intentional life.
The source for the idea of us having a meaningful life is Jesus. Jesus’ was called to the cross and has co-missioned us to help him save the world. But there is yet again a bigger intent for his life. An intent for His life that is eternal. His sacrifice was one and done, and his mission to save the world will have a conclusion at the end of this time we are in. But Jesus proclaimed in John’s Gospel his eternal purpose and intent in the 10th chapter and the 10th verse of that Gospel when he said this:
The thief comes (and we all know who that is) to steal kill and destroy, but I have come that they might have a full and satisfying life. So what is it the thief comes to steal? It is your LIFE. And he is very effective at what he does. But Jesus has come to offer us a full and satisfying life and it is an eternal life, without end, in this life and in the next.
This is why Jesus came. It is his core intent and his eternal purpose, why he exists. The full and satisfying life begins in this life, it is a type of life for now and also for the age to come, forever.
This idea was first popularized by Rick Warren in his book “The Purpose Driven Life”. His idea is that God creates us with specific intent, and purpose and that there is meaning to it everyday. And he is of course correct.
Living this life of meaningful intent has three components-
Calling
Mission
And Purpose
Your CALLING is something God gives you to do for Him. It can last a minute or a lifetime.
A MISSION IS SOMETHING God ASKS TO BUILD OR ACHIEVE FOR HIM. Nehemiah and Jonah are examples.
And your purpose is more “genetic” and is how you are hard-wired to impact your callings and missions. Your purpose comes from who you are and how you are created. Yout Purpose is comprised of a Core Competence and a Core Passion.
Your Core Competence is something you’re really great at. It is a cognitive skill (it resides between your ears) and it is dominant skill you use all the time, quite naturally.
Your Core Passion is an ideal you thirst for, a chief core concern that you cannot release unless it is in play. It gives you joy when it is fulfilled and frustration when it is not.
So your full and satisfying life comes when you apply what you are really great at…to what you really care about. When you live this life you have joy. More on this in the future. But to conclude the matter on Calling, Mission and Purpose:
- So Jesus was called to the Cross- (33 years) “finished”
- His mission is to save the world- (through US) one day that too will end.
- But his eternal purpose is that “we might have a full and satisfying life” it is eternal now and in the coming age.
Your thoughts?