Paul was able to finish well because he knew specifically what God wanted him to do with his life. Paul's pinpoint focus was "the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace" (Acts 20:24)-specifically to Gentiles (Acts 13:6; Romans 15-16-17; Ephesians 3:1)-which was a very radical and unpopular idea for Paul's time and culture.

But don't miss this simple and profoundly life changing point: He had more than a vague or general idea about what God put him on the earth to accomplish. He had a grasp on his very personal and specific God-given mission in life. That is the challenge of focus.

Do you have a clear and very specific understanding of what God has put you on earth for? If you really want to finish well, you must begin to get a sense of your personal, specific mission from God-and lean into it with everything you have!

Most of us are not sure of our specific God-given mission! Few Christians can finish the following sentence with any personal specificity: "God has put me on the earth to ___________." Go ahead right now-stop reading and finish that sentence.

Is your answer personal and specific to you? Sure, in a general sense, as the Westminster Catechism teaches us, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever."

But how-specifically-does God want you to glorify and enjoy him? Good books like "The Purpose Driven Life" and "The Dream Giver" help us to embrace the idea that God has some important and big-picture purposes for all of us, but most people never seem to get around to discovering God's specific, personal destiny for them — and consequently, their ability to finish well is impeded. You will never finish this life well unless you can complete that sentence.

This quest of discovering our God-given mission should be seen as a journey with God that continues through the various seasons of life! (I still don't know exactly what I want to be when I grow up-but I'm having a blast on this journey with God!)

To be sure, as stated in the Westminster Catechism, finding and fulfilling the destiny for which God has called you will bring God glory and you joy. (Note: I did not say God will bring you "happiness" or "success" as defined by this world's standards — I said "joy.")

I also believe that in some key way, your God-given destiny — if it is truly God's destiny for you and not your own concoction of a plan for your life — will have everything to do with helping people encounter "the gospel of God's grace" (Acts 20:24) — but in a manner that is unique to the way God created you.

The benefits of finding your specific God-given destiny

There is great personal power and freedom that comes from knowing what God specifically wants you to do. It keeps you from being taken captive by what others think you ought to do with your time and life. That is, it helps you avoid The First Spiritual Flaw. The First Spiritual Law is: God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. The First Spiritual Flaw: God loves you and people have a wonderful plan for your life.

Once someone called me and said, "We heard you're a very funny speaker. We'd like you to come and give us an evening of laughter and fun."

I said, "I think I can do that as long as I can share God's Word with you too." The person said, "We're not asking for that — we're asking for 30 minutes of entertainment." I said, "Then I'm not your guy."

I hung up and reflected. Having a clear understanding of what specifically God wants me to do enables me to be judicious about how to strategically spend my short life doing God's best — rather than that which is merely good.

When you know what God specifically wants you to do, you know what to say yes to-and, perhaps more importantly, what to say no to. (See Mark 1:35-39.) Every opportunity people give you — even ministry opportunities in the church — should not automatically be understood as an obligation from God.

This is precisely why you must begin the journey of discovering God's personal, specific mission for your life.

Read books about this. Evaluate yourself by contemplating prayerfully and honestly. And involve other key people in your destiny discovery journey.

Once you have struggled deeper into this journey and God starts to confirm your specific mission, stepping into your destiny will not come easily or automatically. God will require you to take some kind of step of faith (Hebrews 11).

Discovering your specific, God-given mission is not the end. It is the beginning of the greatest challenge of your life. The question at this point will be: Do you have the spiritual guts to step into God's specific mission for your life?

Undoubtedly, you will need a person or a small group of people who will love you enough to encourage and challenge you to step into specifically what God has for you.

A host of other Christian racers who have finished well can also cheer us on to the finish. As the life and ministry of the apostle Paul came to a close, he wrote these inspiring words: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).

It can be done! It is possible to finish well and to hear the words of Jesus, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" (Matthew 25:21).

But make no mistake about it: If you really want to finish well in God's eyes, you must — right now — begin with true surrender. You must forget the world. And you must focus.

Republished with permission from the Cadre Connection, a publication of www.cadreministries.com. Read part 1: Finishing well begins with true surrender. Read part 2: Forgetting the world.