Begin with the End in Mind

"Imagine your family and friends are sitting around a table after your funeral. There's no pretense, no need to impress or be eloquent. They begin to share how they sincerely felt about you, what they remember most about you, and what you were really like. What would you want them to say about you?"

Answering this question recently has provided me with a lot of motivation and inspiration. If you "begin with the end in mind," suddenly you have a goal to shoot for. Not only have I clearly articulated what kind of legacy I want to leave--what I want my life to be about, and what I want to be remembered for--but now I realize that I have to do certain things NOW in order to make that happen. It's easier to get motivated and excited about spiritual growth and disciplined, daily life if you know why you're doing it--if you have the end in mind all along.

My number-one goal for this summer was to figure out my life mission statement, and in the process of discovering this, I went through a fantastic study called "Charting the Course." It uses Ephesians 2:10 as the basis for discovering your destiny and developing a life plan. Your history (where you've come from) plus your identity (who God made you to be) plus your ministry (what God has for you to do) equals your destiny: God's sovereign purpose(s) for you.

I'm excited to say that I wrote a mission statement, and you know what? It's inspiring! (I'd be glad to share it with whoever wants to know.) The point is, instead of aimlessly wandering through life, hoping to find meaning and fulfillment, you have to proactively seek out what it is that God has for you to do. And here's the key: There's nothing you could do that would bring God greater glory, would bring you greater joy, or would more significantly advance the Kingdom than for you to fulfill the sovereign purposes you were created for!