A New Year’s Commissioning
Every year at this time, people are considering (or have considered) new resolutions. A resolution is the attempted goal of the person to improve their life as a contrast to the previous year. Resolutions typically fail due to a few reasons: (1) they are often rooted in self, (2) they are connected to an existing weakness, (3) they are accompanied by a team of “1” to accomplish, and (4) the resolution’s goal typically is to improve self versus self improving others.
A commissioned goal is quite different than a resolute goal:
A commissioned goal is authorized, empowered and resourced by someone else (Exodus 3:11-12; Matthew 28: 18-20). When God created you, He wired you a particular way to accomplish particular task(s). You have probably heard the saying, “when God calls you to it, then He’ll see you through it.” When you try to fulfill your purpose in life, then you will do that with God’s help. If He has authorized you to do it, then He will empower you and resource you with heavenly resource to accomplish it.
A commissioned goal begins with others but typically helps you along the way (Matthew 22:36-40). Many people tell me that they will be willing to help others, do what is right, attend church, etc. when they get themselves right. They elaborate that they are in a process of getting their life right so that they can live right. May I suggest that they are going about life backwards? The way to self-improvement is selfishness but sacrifice. An interesting by-product of living our the Great Commandment in Matthew 22 (Love God first then love your neighbor), is that somewhere along that journey you become a better person. Most often a person you never could have imagined.
A commissioned goal meets you where your purpose for life exists (Jeremiah 29:11, 1 Peter 2:9-10). Why did God create you? Have you ever wondered about your purpose for this life? A commissioning is the setting of goals that accomplish this purpose. A commissioned purpose is not a journey of self improvement but begins at self-discovery for the purpose of self-sacrificing to exercise service to others. The purpose of your life is to simply glorify your Creator. He has wired you to do that in a very particular manner.
In Exodus 5, Moses had a commissioned goal, but Pharaoh had a resolute goal. The commissioned goal was to serve other people, but the resolute goal was to serve self. Exodus 5:1–2 (NAS): 1 And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”
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dr. david evans is the Senior Pastor for Springfield Baptist Church in Springfield, Tennessee. Feel free to contact dr. evans by visiting the church’s website: www.Springfield-Baptist.com. In the meantime, for Great Commission ideas check out other ideas in other blogs found on this site. Thank you for visiting!