Question 25 – Does everyone have a life mission?
In previous discussions, we delved into the topics of destiny and the meaning of life. From a Christian perspective, we dismissed destiny as a predetermined fate of individuals. We concluded that the purpose of life is found in a person's relationship with God. This is the reason for which we were created. If you accept these conclusions (at least hypothetically), a further question arises:
Does this God have specific intentions for me as well? If I enter into a relationship with Him, what happens next? Will He control everything, or will He wish to work through me? And what about those who do not believe? These are profound questions, and I believe we can consider the answers on two levels, each with a different perspective.
1. Level – Answer for Those Not in Relationship with God
I am not a theologian, so I cannot convey the comprehensive biblical stance on this matter. However, from my understanding of the Bible, I deduce the following: logically, God cannot fully intervene in the life of a non-believer. It is not due to a lack of power, but rather to preserve our free will; He must allow us to choose our own path if we decide to do so. Consequently, non-believers will find it challenging to fulfill any mission or task, or to realize the purpose of their lives. Generally, we can say they squander their lives and miss the mark. I believe that God has good deeds prepared for them as well, tailored for them, but they lack the opportunity to fulfill them.
Imagine it like this: God's purpose for your life is like a train—a train traveling to specific stations and destinations. Yet, you must board this train. If you don't, you will not reach the station! You might attempt to walk there by another route or even follow the tracks on foot, but you will never reach the station as swiftly or efficiently (if at all) as by this train. I believe God's plan for our lives is similar. To fulfill it, we must first "board" the relationship with Him and cease resisting and rejecting Him.
Note: In the Bible, we learn that God has used non-believers for His purposes. Examples include Pharaoh from the book of Exodus and Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king from the book of Daniel. God used both for His own ends, even though they didn't belong to Him, and He did so despite their own wills (without them knowing it). We might say that He turned their ungodly actions to His advantage. However, this is not our focus here. We are considering God's sovereign will over nations or His will within the roles and responsibilities He has assigned (e.g., leading a nation).
2. Level – Answer for Those Who Have Entered into a Relationship with God
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)
The answer here is emphatically yes. God has a specific and individual plan for everyone in relationship with Him. In this broken and wounded world, there is much work to be done. So many broken hearts, so much pain, so much suffering, so much despair. And God seeks to intervene, having chosen to do so through human cooperation.
Generally, we could say that God's will for every believer's life is to spread His love and peace in a world ruled by hatred and spiritual chaos. This includes the vital element of proclaiming the forthcoming Judgment, as well as the good news of God's reconciliation for fallen humanity—spreading the message of hope we still hold onto, the hope in God incarnate, Jesus Christ.
Within this broad will, however, each of us has an individual path. The extent to which we fulfill it depends on how earnest our relationship with God is. Not all Christians are alike. Some are more zealous, others less so. Many Christians live in varying degrees of compromise with God's will, or they resist allowing God to change their character.
The Purpose of Our Life
Perhaps we can illustrate it with a useful analogy the Bible employs: the work of a potter crafting various vessels. We are the clay, and God is the potter. Each vessel is crafted differently. Some are made for everyday use, others for special occasions. Just so, God does this with us. He has significant intentions for some, while others are for more ordinary purposes. Whether we are Christians who are sanitation workers or presidents, each of us has numerous opportunities within our life's role to change not only ourselves but also our surroundings, thus contributing to the building of God's kingdom. We are all equal before God, and no one can exalt themselves over another.
The degree to which we fulfill the deeds prepared by God depends significantly on how "malleable" we are as clay. Will we allow God to shape us and become pliable clay, or will we resist in varying degrees and become an unmalleable lump, preventing God from creating the vessel He desires?
If you wish to complete the deeds God has prepared for you, you must board the train named "Relationship with God." Thereafter, seek His will daily, let your character be transformed, and go where He sends you and into the situations/roles to which He appoints you. In doing so, you will not waste your life and will come closer to fulfilling the purpose God has set for it.
Summation
Although God intervenes in some capacity in the lives of all people and can use even the deeds of His enemies for His purposes, He has a specific plan for each of His followers. This plan is fulfilled when we say yes to God and submit to His guidance and authority.