life mission

So, I've been reading this book lately that's really got me thinking. It's called "Get A Life" by Reggie McNeal. I was given the book to read as something every one on a team I am part of this summer is supposed to do. I like reaading, but usually I like to pick my own books. I must say that this was a good book and I'm glad it was passed on to me to read.

Really, in a lot of ways, it was more of a workbook than a book that you just sit down to read. Lots of interaction and questions to think about and try to apply what you had read to your own life. And definitely lots of stuff to make you think.

In the first chapter of the book McNeal talked about the whole idea of having a life mission. He talked about looking out what you're passionate about - what really gets you excited in life - and your talents - what you do well naturally - and your experiences. He suggested using those thigns as a place to start when thinking about your life mission.

For me, that's been a challenging process. There is such a huge diversity in my answers to those questions, that I think they may have just confused me more, not helped to me think about what my life mission might be. What I'm passionate about and what I'm naturally good at in many ways seem to be completely opposite things. And then I have life experience with the things I'm passionate about and what I'm talented at. I still don't have any idea as to what I would say my life mission is - and I've been thinking about it for three weeks or so.

Now, some of you by now might be asking why I'm making this whole idea of a life mission so important. And I probably would have thought the same thing not that long ago. But, the more I think about . . . the more I realize that it is important to answer the question of "why am I here?" (which is the title of the particular chapter that this whole talk about a life mission came from). There is importance in answering that question.

It is so easy to just walk through life without thinking about why we're here. We just go through each day and nothing really matters beyond making it through each day. But there is so much mroe to life than just making it through each day! We are called to more than that! Scripture makes that clear.

I think whether or not I ever write out what my life mission is (which me, being me, is something I really would like to do , I need to see it to really get it), it has been beneficial for me to think about these things. I mean, I have done it so often in my life where I just get caught up in the day to day and live likes that's all there is, when there is so much more. I honestly think that at the very least we all need to take a look at our lives and try to discover what that bigger reason is that we are here for.

Obviously, we are called to spread the Gospel and share Christ with those around us who need to know. But that's going to look different for each person. And if we don't know how we can best do the work that we have been left on this earth to do, we are in danger of not doing anything that makes a lasting impact for the Kingdom of God.

My apologies if this post is rambling and doesn't make complete sense. I'm still processing this all. And, as I said above, I'm one of those people who needs to see it to get it, so writing about it is part of my making sense of it all.