Are You on an Emotional and Spiritual Growth Mission?

One of the most important questions you and I can ever ask ourselves is simply this: “Am I living on mission?” Not just any mission—the kind that flows out of who God is and who He has made us to be. This is not about filling up our calendars, forcing achievements, or checking religious boxes. This is about living a life of wholeness, balance, and purpose, one where both our spiritual journey and our emotional health move together in harmony.

In a recent conversation with my good friend Dr. Stephen Cervantes, we unpacked what it means to live on mission. Stephen and I have been walking together in this ministry space for over twenty-five years, and one of the reasons I deeply admire him is this: he doesn’t just talk about growth—he lives it. He embodies what it means to see life as a lifelong growth mission. And honestly, that’s what we want for all of us.

More Than Religion—A Living Relationship

Not long ago, Stephen shared a story about sitting at a table full of atheists in Portugal. The conversation turned to church-going, and one after another, people around the table dismissed it—“Nope, I don’t go to church... no time for that... no need for that.”

When it was about to be his turn to answer, the conversation suddenly shifted. He never had to answer the question directly, but that encounter left him thinking: What would I say in that moment?

And that led him to an important realization:

Faith is not about checking the “I go to church” box—it’s about relationship.

It’s about saying, God is my closest friend. He and I walk together every single day. Why wouldn’t I want to spend time in His house? That is such a different framing than “Oh, yes, I go to church because I’m supposed to.”

And friends, this is critical: the faith we are talking about isn’t some “dusty religion.” It’s a vibrant, joyful, life-giving connection with the living God.

That’s what I want others to see in my life. That’s what I hope people encounter in you. It’s why mission isn’t just spiritual duty—it’s heartfelt, relational living with Jesus every day.

The Loneliness Epidemic

I don’t think it’s news to anyone that loneliness is one of the great burdens of our age. Post-COVID culture has intensified isolation: fewer parties, less gathering, less connection. Add to that the way technology has reshaped communication, and you’ve got millions of people feeling cut off and alone in their daily lives—even while being “connected” online.

But here’s the good news: God’s design for community—and for His church—is to be a hub of connection, not isolation. Some churches are taking bold, creative steps to be the heart and soul of their neighborhoods. Whether it’s building spaces for people to gather and play or simply providing environments of trust and open conversation, these places are becoming more than “services you attend”—they are communities where people can heal together.

And that brings us back to this question:

Are you living on mission?

The Two Intertwined Missions of Life

As Christians, most of us understand at least something of the spiritual mission: love God, follow Jesus, walk by the Spirit, be part of the community of faith, and serve others. That’s beautiful. That’s essential.

But here’s what we often miss: alongside the spiritual mission is also an emotional mission.

Here’s why that matters: I’ve seen so many pastors, leaders, and otherwise God-loving people fall apart not because they didn’t love Jesus or didn’t know their Bible—but because their emotional life was neglected. They burned out. They fell into destructive patterns. They numbed themselves with addictions. Why? Not because they rejected their faith, but because their emotional system collapsed under the weight of unaddressed fears, wounds, and stressors.

And what Stephen and I have come to believe is that these two missions—the spiritual and the emotional—must be woven together. You can’t easily separate them. Where does your spirit end and your emotions begin? You can’t draw a clean line. They overlap, inform each other, and interact constantly.

Love, joy, fear, sorrow, anger—are these spiritual realities? Emotional states? The answer is yes. They are both.

This means that living on mission requires us to see both dimensions—spiritual and emotional—not as separate checklists, but as deeply intertwined paths of growth.

What Does Growth Look Like?

One of the struggles we face, especially as men, is wanting a finish line. We want to “complete the mission.” Check the box. Get the certificate. Be done.

But growth—true growth—isn’t like that. Growth is the mission. It never ends.

Take the spiritual mission. What’s the goal? It’s not a certificate that says, “You followed Jesus perfectly.”

The goal is simply this: to walk with Jesus daily, live in His grace, and serve others for His glory.

That’s movement. That’s relationship. It’s ongoing.

Now take the emotional mission. How do you measure progress there? Stephen breaks it down beautifully:

• Peace – Are you cultivating calm and contentment, even in a chaotic world? Are you able to regulate conflict and discover serenity with others and within yourself?

• Rest – Can you let go of shame, blame, and restlessness enough to truly rest in your own skin and in God’s care for you?

• Joy – Can you take delight in life’s small wonders, in creation, in relationships, in the gifts of each day?

Peace, rest, and joy become the barometers of whether your emotional mission is healthy and growing.

The Barriers to Growth

So what gets in the way of this growth mission?

• Negativity and cynicism – Are you consistently hopeful, or do you spiral into seeing the world as hopeless?

• Discontent – Our consumer-driven culture breeds perpetual dissatisfaction. Are you restless and always striving, or are you learning to be content?

• Defensiveness and anger – Do small triggers set you off? Do you demand to defend your pride or reputation at the expense of peace?

• Childhood wounds – Are you still carrying unchecked wounds and letting them dictate your choices today? Or are you pursuing healing—through forgiveness, through community, through God’s tender care?

• False roles – Are you living behind the masks of perfectionism, people-pleasing, or control? There’s nothing wrong with wanting to care for others or lead with excellence—but are you using those roles to cope or to hide?

Every one of us has to face these questions head-on.And every one of us must also answer perhaps the hardest question of all:

Do you like yourself?

How you care for yourself when you’re alone reveals whether you can stand your own company. Do you flee into fantasy, escape through alcohol, pornography, or food the moment you get quiet? Or do you care for yourself—go on a walk, create, reach out to a friend, rest, play, enjoy your own presence before God?

You cannot live on mission if you can’t stand being with you. And this is where God’s grace intersects with emotional health: Loving your neighbor requires first caring for yourself. Even Jesus taught us to love others as we love ourselves. You can’t skip that step.

The Misunderstanding of “Deny Yourself”

I know what some of you may be thinking: Wait—aren’t we supposed to die to ourselves and deny ourselves? Doesn’t that sound the exact opposite of everything you’re saying?

It’s a fair question. But here’s the truth: Jesus wasn’t inviting us to despise ourselves as image-bearers of God. He was inviting us to crucify what isn’t of God in us—the selfishness, pride, sin, and broken patterns that separate us from Him.

There’s a huge difference between denying the sinful flesh and despising the person God created you to be.

The latter is actually an attack on the workmanship of God Himself. We are called to love ourselves properly—as children of God—to nurture our souls so that we can love others well.

A Lifelong Journey

So, are you on mission?

Not are you perfect. Not have you finished. But are you moving? Are you letting God’s Spirit lead both your spiritual walk and your emotional life into growth? Are you embracing grace daily and inviting peace, rest, and joy to shape your emotional rhythms?

This isn’t about arriving at some elusive destination. It’s about keeping your heart in motion with God and others. And it’s about seeing the deeply connected nature of your whole being—body, spirit, mind, and emotion—as designed by God for His glory and your flourishing.

Practical Next Steps

• Take an honest inventory – Where are you at in terms of peace, rest, and joy? Let that be your barometer.

• Address your wounds – Seek the healing that only God can bring, often through community, counseling, and grace practices.

• Reject false roles – Live authentically before God and others instead of hiding behind coping mechanisms.

• Nurture community – Don’t let loneliness rule your life. Take proactive steps to connect in safe community.

• Walk daily with Jesus – See every day as an invitation to deeper relationship and grace-driven service.

Friends, let’s walk this growth mission together—spiritual and emotional, hand in hand, under the care of our gracious God. Remember, the goal isn’t the finish line. The goal is the mission: to keep growing in Christlikeness, in relational wholeness, and in emotional and spiritual health and fitness.

Peace, rest, and joy to you today.