How to Organize Your Life Based on God’s Purposes
A Simple Guide to Planning with Purpose
Was Jesus Organized?
Can you be led by the Holy Spirit and still plan?
Jesus only had a little over three years to accomplish the most important mission in world history. A close study of His life reveals that He was the perfect blend of disciplined organization and the freedom to respond to immediate needs.
Some of us are naturally more organized, while others excel at responding to the moment. But if you want to fully live out God’s purposes for your life, having at least a basic plan really is necessary.
Confession: I Am Not a Detail Guy
I’m much better at vision and big-picture strategies than at smaller details.
When I was on staff at a large church, I often went to meetings I’d set up, only to find no one there because I forgot to notify them.
I oversaw over 2,200 people, five pastors, 15 district leaders, and 45 coaches, yet I struggled with details.
I’ve always needed others to handle “detail” tasks.
I Need a Simple Way to Organize My Life Around God’s Purposes
If you’re a super-organized person, you may be surprised that some people struggle with organization. Or maybe you’ve had to deal with it in others.
More likely, since you’re reading this, you’re like me—you realize the importance of organization but haven’t been able to make it work consistently.
Here’s a little encouragement: having a basic purpose-driven plan is worth it.
A Productivity Formula
In his book Making Things Happen, author Scott Belzky gives a productivity formula:
I x O = P
Idea × Organization = Productivity
A great idea (100 x 0 = 0) with no organization will accomplish nothing.
But an average idea (50 x 2 = 100) with decent organization can still achieve something significant.
We don’t have to be the most brilliant or most organized person in the world to do something powerful, but we do need both—vision and organization.
How to Start
1. Get Ready to Write
If you hate writing, don’t worry—you don’t have to write a lot, but you will need to write. Less than 1 out of a million people can keep everything in their head.
In Haggai 2:2, God told the prophet to write down the vision so others could run with it. Writing down goals makes them actionable.
2. Write Down Your Understanding of God’s Pillar Purposes
Before you stress about how to do this, I use the five purposes from Rick Warren’s The Purpose-Driven Life, which I word like this:
Relationship with Christ
Growing in Christlikeness
Relationships based on Christ’s Great Commandment
Gift/Talent-Based Work: Christ’s Calling
Making Disciples: Christ’s Commission
Others use categories like Faith, Family, Friends, Finance, Fitness, Fun—find what resonates with you.
3. Write Down the Main Steps to Live Out Each Purpose
For example, under “Relationship with Christ”, write actions like Bible study, prayer, and journaling.
Under “Christlikeness”, include spiritual disciplines, support systems, and growth activities.
Do this for each of your purpose categories.
4. Put Minimum Times on Your Calendar
Set aside specific times for each of these activities each week.
While you may spend more time on work calling than on personal growth, research shows that writing down when and how you’ll do something increases success by about 80%. That’s significant!
5. Practice, Then Adjust
Start taking action immediately. Don’t put it off. As James 1 says, be a doer of the word, not a hearer only.
You won’t make a perfect plan right away, but starting is key. As you practice, adjust as needed.
By following this plan, you’ll be accomplishing more than 80% of the church. It’s simple but powerful.
Want More Focus and Productivity?
If you want more structure and clarity about living God’s purposes, I invite you to set up a free "Live Your Purposes" Coaching session.
Biblical coaching has transformed my life, and I’ve seen it do the same for countless others. As Andy Stanley said, “You may be good. You may even be better than everyone else. But you will never be as good as you could be without coaching.”
Why not make the most of the gifts, talents, and time God has given you? Let’s talk and help you live more of God’s purposes for your life.
My goal is to help busy believers experience God more deeply, grow consistently—both spiritually and personally—and confidently live out their unique purpose.
