Most people you know would not come right out and say that they are planning to fail in all they do today, but according to the old proverb, “He who fails to plan, plans to fail.” How many of us actually have a plan for our spiritual lives today? If you are serious about your future, you should have a plan which includes a personal mission statement. It can even be written in the form of a letter to God, if you prefer. Your personal mission statement may include any or all of the following items:

– a declaration of your goals and objectives for your life

– a vision of what you would like to be doing in the future

– a statement of who you would like to become.

Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook gives these pointers for shaping your mission statement in her book,  Live Like You’re Blessed,

1. Make it holy; use the letters in BLESSED to remind yourself what you want your life to contain B-balance L-love E-energy S-spirit S-success E-encouragement and D-devotion to the Lord

2. Stress the positive; note what you desire in an affirmative manner and don’t dwell on the negative experiences in your life

3. Recognize your gifts and how you can use them to accomplish your mission

4. Give yourself a reasonable time limit; 2 to 5 years is acceptable

5. Use inspirational quotes to remind yourself of who you want to become.

As you work on your mission statement keep these words in mind from Jemiah 29:11 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Do you believe that people can’t be successful and spiritual at the same time?  Speaking as one who grew up in the church, we were often taught that we should equate humility with poverty.  We were also led to assume that successful people could not be humble.  That  was certainly misleading!

2 Chronicles 26 relates the story of King Uzziah, stating in the 4th and 5th verses, “And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.”

As long as Uzziah sought the Lord, and minded religion, God made him to prosper.  Those only prosper whom God makes to prosper; for prosperity is His gift.  Many have owned, that as long as they sought the Lord, and kept close to their duty, they prospered; but when they forsook God, every thing went cross.  God never continues either to bless the indolent or to withhold his blessing from the diligent.  He will never suffer any to seek his face in vain (bible verse notes taken from Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible).

When successful people speak, others tend to listen.   If you have a story of Christian success,  do you share it with others?  Your positive message may be just what someone else needs to hear (or read) to jumpstart their own journey to success!!

More bible commentary on King Uzziah can be found at  BibleGateway