What's Next?: The Journey To Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, And Make A DifferenceSample

Impact: Change Your World

God loves the whole world and wants to reach every person, and His plan for reaching each life relies on you and me. He’s given us the privilege and responsibility of reaching our sphere of influence. He wants us to share our faith with others so that they, too, can know His love and accept the free gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.

If this sounds overwhelming, keep in mind that you don’t have to change the whole world—your calling is to change the world around you. If we all change our worlds, then together, we can change the world. And if we don’t take our responsibility to influence the world seriously, we are in serious danger of being influenced by the world. We need to be the influencers, not the ones who are influenced!

The key to changing your world is recognizing where you can make a difference. Your sphere of influence may be bigger than you realize. Ask God to make you aware of the opportunities around you to impact the lives of others. Start with those with whom you have close relationships: family, friends, coworkers, neighbors. It may seem hard to start here, as these are the people whose opinions matter most to you. When fear starts to creep in, however, remind yourself what’s at stake: You want those who are close to you to spend eternity with God!

In addition to reaching those in your immediate proximity, also consider how you can make a difference in the world beyond. Pursue the causes you feel most passionate about and address the world’s problems you most want to solve. Ask God to show you the dreams He’s placed inside your heart and give you vision for how you can use your resources to make a difference in the lives of others. Get close to Him and let Him stir those dreams inside of you. If they seem too big, remember that nothing is impossible for God! If you’re willing to be used to impact the world around you for His glory, God will empower you to do it.