We have more technology at our fingertips than those before us experienced throughout entire lifetimes. All this efficiency hasn’t helped us slow down though; it’s only made us move faster. Daily tasks like cleaning and cooking are accomplished by pushing a button, but they haven’t created more space in our calendars. We can message someone across the world in an instant, but we’re increasingly disconnected in our relationships. Hurry and hustle is swiftly eating up our time—and maybe even our peace of mind. Is this the way Jesus wanted us to live?

When you read the gospels, do you get a sense Jesus is rushing from one thing to another like we do from meeting to meeting? Jesus never gives us the sense that he was “checking his watch” and worry others were going to make him late with their requests. He lived a full and a fully obedient life without ever running out of time.

Gordon MacDonald further explores the philosophy of life Jesus had and his relationship to his time. How was it that he managed his time so well, allowing for times of reflection and service? MacDonald writes, “The first think that impresses me is that Jesus clearly understood His mission. He had an overarching task to perform, and He measured His use of time against that sense of mission…It is impressive to realize that there were thirty years of relative obscurity and privacy in preparation for three years of important activity.”

Jesus understood different seasons of life required different responses, expectations, and opportunities. His awareness of his mission served as the foundation for both his private preparation and public ministry. As you identify the season of life you’re in and anticipating, make sure you also recognize your personal mission that can help drive your choices in both.

All Christians are expected to join in God’s mission of reconciliation to the world and we’re each uniquely gifted to join in that larger mission. Here are a few questions that can help you discern your personal mission:

1 // What am I good at?

2 // What am I passionate about?

3 // What need do I see in the world around me?

Once you identify your mission and current season, you’ll be free to say “yes” to the best things instead of trying to do everything. Don’t rush through this season or the next. Follow Jesus’ example to choose obedience over hurry.