Doing My God Assignment Today- It’s As Simple As That

Life can be very complicated. So many needs pull at our attention. There are family needs, ministry needs, and the needs of the poor. The spiritually lost, the needs of those we are discipling, our own needs…it can feel overwhelming. Missionaries are generally compassionate people. We love deeply and want to do it all. We can’t. What we can do, is today’s God assignment.

For quite a few years now, I’ve started my day asking God that question. “What is your assignment for me today, Lord?”

I find it helpful to listen to Him at the beginning of the day, to pause and hear His direction. There may be many things I feel I should do. But if I can narrow it down to one main thing, and then be faithful with that, it helps me stay focused. It helps me be faithful and fruitful.

We can not control fruitfulness. That is in God’s hands. What we do have control over is our faithfulness to the things God has asked us to do. As we obey God each day, listening to Him, and receiving His “God Assignments,” our lives will definitely bear fruit. He takes our loaves and fish. Then He multiplies them.

Unusual Answers

At the end of the day, at the end of the year, indeed at the end of my life, if I can stand before the Lord and know I’ve been obedient… that is enough for me. That doesn’t mean I’ve done everything I could have. It doesn’t mean I’ve been perfect. But I want to be faithful in the main assignments, the things that were not just good ideas, but truly God ideas. His priorities must be my priorities.

Sometimes, God surprises me when I ask the question, “What is your assignment for me today, Lord?”

One day when I asked that, I heard His still small voice respond, “Go to the pool. You need rest.”

“Really God? There is so much to do!” I said this back to Him but I obeyed. I went to the pool.

Another day when I asked, He told me to spend time with my neighbors, to do a Bible study with one who is a new believer. Other days, His ONE THING for me has been creating blogs, videos, working on my book, or serving the poor around me. Some days it has been spending time in prayer. Or sharing my testimony with the lady at the coffee shop.

Not only do I practice this in daily life, but also as I plan for each year. I ask God what His top priority is for me that year. He is faithful to speak to me as I ask.

When I know that top priority, then though I am involved in many other things as well, I am able to focus. I am able to obey.

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”

1 Sam. 15:22 NIV.

What A God Assignment IS

• It’s doing what you know God has said to do.
  Ask Him what His assignment is for you. He will speak. He loves to talk to His friends. If you have trouble hearing His voice, just do the last thing you know He assigned you to do. What was the last thing He clearly told you to do?
• It’s specific and clear.
  There are times when God is silent, and there are times when His direction seems vague. That isn’t easy for us. This is particularly true when we seek answers to problems or look for direction on big things in our lives. So I have learned to listen for clarity in the simple things. You may not have the answers on the huge weighty issues yet, but is there something small that is clear? That you can do as your God assignment today? As you do that, the other things will also become less confusing.
• They are received by spending time in His Presence. We hit the pause button in our busy lives and taking a moment to listen. Sometimes we are on such a fast-moving treadmill that we don’t stop to listen well. I find it helpful to practice stillness before I ask this question. I use an app that has helped me to be still before the Lord and to pause for 3 minutes (or five or ten). When is the last time you completely stopped, even for three minutes, and were still before Him? This is a key to receiving His assignment.
• God assignments lead to fruitfulness.
  Jesus talks about fruitfulness in the John 15 passage. Abiding in Him, loving Him, obeying Him, these are the keys to fruitfulness. As we listen and obey, we demonstrate our love for Jesus. This will always yield lasting fruit.
• They are ultimately much more fulfilling.
  When we know we have obeyed God’s assignment, we can lay down our head at night and rest well. We did our part. God will do His. We may not have done it all, or done it perfectly, but we obeyed. In this, we find much fulfillment and joy. Doing the one thing, doing my God assignments each day gives me a great sense of fulfillment.

What A God Assignment is NOT

• It isn’t doing everything that could (or should) be done.
  I’ve written before about resisting the shoulds of life. There are so many. The world, others, and yes, even we ourselves have many shoulds. We should play with our kids more. We should do more to serve. We should pray more. Those are just a few common examples. It isn’t about the shoulds. Many of these are driven by performance orientation or legalism. Resist the shoulds and listen to God. Do the one thing, your God assignment, and do it well. That is enough.
• It isn’t responding to every need.
  The needs are vast. Because of God’s grace, you see them. His heart in you aches when you encounter need. You want to respond. That is a good thing. But responding to every need will burn you out very quickly. What is God’s particular assignment, the one specially designed for you to do? Do that and say no to the many other things that clamor for your attention.

What Is Your Assignment?

Have you asked Him yet? What His assignment is for you?

If you’d like to, let me know in the comments below or share on the Missionary Life page. May God give us all grace to be faithful and obedient today.