What's Your Vision?
God’s got a big vision, a rescue mission to save souls from darkness and draw us into an eternally joyful relationship with Him. He wants to use us!
It’s a big job. In fact, it’s the whole reason we’re still on earth instead of dancing with Jesus right now. The two jobs He gave us are:
- Love God and our neighbors (Matthew 22:37-39)
- Tell people about Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20)
People often wonder about their 'calling,' thinking that is a lifelong career or mission. A friend of mine wrote this article about the 3 kinds of calling in the Bible, what they mean and what is most important.
But God has wired us each with a unique set of gifts, experiences and passions. So where do you fit? This is your Kingdom Vision. It is where God is calling you to give your time, talent and treasure during this next season of life. Without a vision, it’s easy to drift away from God (Proverbs 29:18) but, with God in the center of your life, this vision will influence just about every decision you make.
Theologian Frederick Buechner says that “the place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Ask the Lord to guide you as take inventory of your life and decide who, how and where the Lord is asking you to serve.
• Who: Do you care deeply for your co-workers, neighbors or an unreached people group? Are you gripped by a social justice cause? Where do you already have natural connections (hobbies, relationships)? What do you want to change enough that you would give your life to it? Here are some questions you can ask yourself to further clarify your burden.
• How: How do you see yourself using your gifts to serve God and others? There are lots of assessments out there to help you discover your spiritual gifts, strengths and personality traits. God designed you this way for a reason and wants to see you thrive, serving Him in a way that makes you come alive.
• Where: Is there a movement, church or organization you can connect with that is already pursuing your vision? If not, here are a few ways to find one:
See a list of our US ministries by name or check out some of these mission fields Cru can help you with:
Request a coach from Cru to talk with you.
Idealist: thousands of non-profits and volunteer opportunities
CrowdRise: a popular site for finding and posting fund raisers
First Step: Write a short statement communicating what you believe God is calling you to do. Example, “I believe God is calling me to rescue and share the gospel with [who] by using my [how].”
Then, tell people about it. Post it below and on your own wall. Ask your friends, pastors, us for help getting started.
Whatever you do, don’t do it alone. This next article will show you how to build a team to achieve that mission.
