God’s Performance Appraisal
If you’re part of the workforce and adhere to the structural system of having managers and supervisors, once a year, or even mid-year, management conducts a performance appraisal of their employees. The performance appraisal reviews your production for the year, whether you are meeting the expectations of the position, your interpersonal skills, knowledge, and growth. The appraisal even covers areas for improvement or ways to perform at a higher level in the position. Each year, the manager cross-examines the previous performance appraisal to assess the growth or decline from previous years. Based on this information, they determine if you’re progressing in a manner that suits the position.
What if God had a performance appraisal done on His believers?
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” ~Romans 8:28 KJV
How would God’s performance appraisal look? Would He give us a sneak peek of how we’re performing in relation to the purpose He intended for each of us? Instead of waiting until we reach the judgment seat for God to show us the blueprint He laid out for our lives and how we fulfilled it, will we accomplish the things that God instilled in us?
Dear Believer A, your 30-year performance appraisal is scheduled with the Most High. You bring your notepad to take notes—of course. Then you see the Lord of Hosts take out a large binder. You’re eagerly awaiting to see how you’ve grown in all areas of life. Some may feel confident because they graduated from a prestigious university and are working for a company, making a hefty salary. With that salary, they’re able to donate a lot of their earnings to different charities. They even sit on major boards to assist the less fortunate. They’re kind to people and quite likable. They’ve succeeded in every aspect of life thus far. The Creator should have no issues reviewing and giving them a high 30-year performance appraisal. The Believer had 30 years to prepare for the performance appraisal, so they were more than ready to hear what the Lord had to say.
God to Believer A: "You have an impressive résumé for someone at the 30-year mark." God reviews all the earthly accomplishments they’ve received. God opens the first book and looks at Believer A. “My child, this book is dedicated to what I wrote for your life. The first half of the book has chapters with markers showing where you should be, based on how I wrote your story. You have achieved a lot of worldly success, but My success for you, dear child, had nothing to do with any of your earthly possessions. Based on what I placed inside you, the job you’re currently working was temporary. The job was for you to witness about who I AM to several of your colleagues whose paths were leading them to hell. I placed you there to be the light. You delighted in carnal banter with your colleagues, so they only know that you’re a Christian by name, not by fruit. The very charities you donated to for years were not sowing the seed back to the people who needed it. I placed a seed in you to create a charity and oversee that it operated properly. That same charity would also be a place to witness to more people and point them to the Kingdom—My Kingdom. The scholarly knowledge and personable nature you have would have uplifted and ignited thousands. But all I see here are funds leaving your account to these charities. Yes, you volunteered your services. The longing to do more and the desire was in you, but you fed it with volunteer work instead of being the leader I assigned you to be.”
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” ~Romans 12:2 KJV
“I created more for you than you wanted for yourself. You know what needs to be done from here on out.”
Dear Believer B, your 15-year performance appraisal is scheduled with the Most High. You don’t know what to expect because your years were filled with dead-end jobs, unfinished projects, and a lukewarm relationship with the Lord. You love the Lord, but you get distracted by different things. You know more about God through the teachings of the pastors at church. You’re not looking forward to the performance appraisal.
God to Believer B: "My lovely child, ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.’ ~Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV
Why haven’t you meditated on My words for your life? I waited for you to come to Me constantly and commune with Me. You were so caught up with the things of this world that brought temporary pleasure, but you were always left empty. I was waiting to give you the nourishment that your soul requires. You required more of Me, but you allowed the enemy to distract you from what I created for you to do on this earth. In these 15 years, you would have written 30 mini-stories. Those mini-stories would have led people to Me based on how you lived a life of holiness and compassion. They would have wanted to know more about the person behind the stories and followed you while you followed Me. The influencer you wanted to be would have influenced them to Me for salvation. You would have also created five movies and three television shows. The very things that robbed your time would have been the ones to nourish millions. You allowed the enemy to distract you from years of walking in your destiny. No longer will you misuse the time I blessed you with."
Dear Believer C, your 8-year performance appraisal is scheduled with the Most High. You worked comfortably at a mid-salary job, kept a low profile, and always behaved in a manner not to offend anyone. Life for you has been routine for as long as you can remember. You don’t believe in taking unnecessary risks and like things to line up. You serve at the church, and people consider you dependable.
God to Believer C: "Greetings, My beloved. ‘Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ ~Joshua 1:9 KJV.
You have allowed the enemy to keep you paralyzed by fear. You have not taken any opportunities with the purpose stored inside you. The fear kept you from stepping out from amongst them to spread My gospel. You were meant to travel all over the world, connecting people to My living word. You heard Me calling many times and ignored Me for complacency. You were born to cast out devils, bring the lost to salvation, unite the disenfranchised, and bring healing to many nations. You have fire in your belly that only I can ignite."
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 KJV
Dear Believer D,
Your 20-year performance appraisal is scheduled with the Most High. Over the years, you have served as a doctor specializing in addressing the immune system. The journey to becoming a doctor was a challenging one, as the practice often conflicted with your faith in God’s Word. Yet, you remained steadfast, pursuing your calling until a pivotal moment arrived—a moment that required you to choose between the ways of the world and the truth of God’s Word. You chose to stand firm in your faith, leaving the practice of medicine and placing your trust entirely in God.
God to Believer D: "My child, why do you appear so sad? I entrusted you with the responsibility of caring for my children’s health. When the time came, you were tested to reveal whether you loved the title, the money, and the attention of being a doctor more than you loved Me. You have done well, my dear child, by surrendering your life to Me. I am most pleased with your faithfulness.
The chapter you are in now is designed to elevate you to the next level of your calling. The knowledge you have gained through your time as a doctor will be instrumental in this new season of your life. You will start a new practice, helping people discover healthier ways to treat their illnesses. Well done, my child. You are exactly where you are meant to be."
There are countless believers of Christ who are at the halfway mark and have not yet begun the work on the purpose God instilled in them. Were you the one who needed to create software to bring efficiencies to companies? But the idea stayed lodged in your head. Were you the one God was looking for to be a teacher and create generations of great Christ-followers and high achievers in the world? When it’s all said and done,
“His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” ~Matthew 25:23 KJV
