Hint: It's not about you.
Poor us. We’re so inclined to put ourselves always at the center of things. But God has told us that the way to really live is to die to self!
Your assignment is NOT about you, and that’s quite alright.
Your assignment is NOT random acts of kindness (although these are good.)
Your assignment is NOT about your prosperity, pleasure, or comfort.
“What is in it for me, then?” you might ask. And I will tell you—meaningful significance, blissful joy, deep satisfaction, eternal rewards. How’s that?
More Than the Pursuit of Happiness
"Please, God, make life more bearable.
Help me prosper, achieve happiness and comfort.
Amen."
Ouch. If I'm not intentional, I see my prayers collapsing into this small, self-absorbed mindset. This is the violin praying to be kept in the case. Worse, it's the soldier praying to be left in the barracks (with an extra blanket and some sweet tea, please.) Can I tell you a secret? This is my greatest fear, to coast into eternity with empty hands and nothing
to present to my King. Let's not settle!
God has called us into what He is doing during this time. In a word, it is restoration, the restoring of people in relationship to God as He originally intended. Allow me to go all Greek on you. The Greek word for “calling” is “klesios.” It means a summons or an invitation. God is not calling us to go and do, He is inviting us to “come with” and work with Him on what He is doing.
Your Kingdom Assignment is More Than Just Being Nice
In 1982 a woman named Anne Herbert wrote on a placemat in Sausalito, California, “practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” She then went on to write a book about this concept. The idea of random acts of kindness went viral. Am I saying this is wrong? Absolutely not! In fact, I love the idea! God’s children should be splattering kindness and beauty more than anyone, all over the place. But your Kingdom Assignment is more specific than this. And it will always be concerned with restoration (see above.)
Your Kingdom Assignment Might Get Uncomfortable
Contrary to a lot of teaching and preaching out there, your comfort and prosperity is not the main thing. Of course, God loves His children and gives good things! But the mission is paramount. You and I may be called to wealth or poverty, to calm or chaos, to health or sickness—to whatever circumstances and conditions best contribute to the mission of restoration. We are, after all, at war, and sometimes things get difficult in the foxhole.
What To Do If You Find Yourself Thinking Wrong
Ask for the Spirit of Wisdom to help you see things from God’s perspective. Be diligent to seek out your Kingdom Assignment. I have written a book where I try to help with this very thing. You can check it out here.
Believe it or not, this is all good news! To see your Kingdom Assignment from this higher perspective requires dying to self, and on the other side of death to self lies abundant life.
the significance of work that matters for eternity
the joy that comes from working together with Jesus
the satisfaction of NOT needing anything from the world
AND…the reward of hearing “Well done, good and faithful servant!” And the crown. I want that crown! to present to Him, of course.
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