Living Mission Focused
Living mission focused each and every day
"What's your mission today?"
How would you respond if I asked you this one question?
Perhaps many of us would respond with something about our to-do list or required tasks for the day. Maybe the mission is something on our work schedule or one big thing on the agenda that if we could just get it done, the day will be labeled a success and we'll have accomplished our mission.
When we talk about "mission focus" we're talking about the single focus that drives everything else we do. In reverse, everything we do in our lives is centered around supporting the mission. To accomplish a mission requires effort, planning, resources, risks, and faithfulness. Sometimes we incorrectly think of objectives or tasks as our mission, such as, graduating from an academic program, obtaining a promotion, reaching a specific number in our retirement account, or even serving in a ministry. And while these can all be good things, these things do not define our mission.
I intentionally asked what your mission was today to get us thinking. But let me ask a couple more questions. Should our mission today be any different than the mission yesterday? Tomorrow? Or for our entire lives?
So often, it can seem like the mission of our lives changes radically day-by-day or year-by-year. Each day we wake up with a new set of obstacles and challenging objectives to achieve. These things can either support or distract us from our mission. The Christian community likes to use the lingo of "seasons," to describe your focus during a particular time. As if the circumstances surrounding our lives dictate our mission and focus! To quote the apostle Paul "by no means!" Certainly, tasks and objectives can change throughout your life. Still, the mission of every true disciple of Jesus is the same 2,000 years ago as it is today.
The mission is simple, and the mission never changes. The mission is to obediently respond to Jesus' call to "follow me."
Those two words have the power to radically change your life from natural, to supernatural. Now before you get frustrated that I haven't provided the 19 steps to follow Jesus, let's remember that your mission is not supposed to be the specific actions of your life; rather, it is to guide them. Our mission is not supposed to be complicated but simple, very simple.
If as believer in Jesus Christ, our sole mission is to "follow Jesus," let me ask you and ask myself, are we on mission?
When I examine my life, do the minutes, hours, and days of my life confirm my focus is on following Jesus as the sole mission of my life? Let me challenge us to examine our time, money, energy, and focus to see if these areas all agree the mission is to follow Jesus. Perhaps one of the most revealing ways to answer this question is to ask your spouse, family, or close friends what they would say is your life's mission.
Let me suggest that if there is anything in our lives that doesn't align and support following Jesus, we're off mission. Suppose there is anything in our lives that is hindering or distracting us from our mission. In that case, we need to acknowledge where we've deviated. Jesus plus anything is garbage. Jesus plus nothing is a joy-filled abundant life, not as the world sees abundance, but as our Heavenly Father does.
Too often, we trade God's mission for our own mission and we ask that God would bless our will rather than surrendering to His.
Let me wrap this writing up by asking you two questions:
What would your life look like if you were 100% SOLD out on mission; to follow Jesus?
Are you willing to surrender your mission to accomplish His mission for you?
When we examine the life of our Savior, He knew exactly what His mission was:
"For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me." - John 6:38
In a single verse, Jesus clearly articulates His mission. We should be able to do the same.
I'm grateful and humbled to grow in faith with each of you!
Nathan Price
Nathan has been active in layman ministry for over 15-years and continues to serve at his local church. Nathan now serves as an officer and F-16 Instructor Pilot in the Air National Guard and has conducted multiple combat deployments to the Middle East. Nathan is married to his wife Jen and has three kids, to which he is committed to discipling first. One of Nathan's greatest passions is discipling men into a loving relationship with Jesus Christ, and watching it change their lives and the lives of their families.
