That’s my new question at the end of each week.

Instead of asking “what did I accomplish” or “how much did I get done” or even “how much money did I make,” I’ve started asking “was I the person God calls me to be?”

The answer is always “not totally.” And that’s okay. I believe there’s something in the Bible about how we all fall short (Romans 9:23).

Don’t beat yourself up

Then, instead of beating myself up for the places I fell short, I pay more attention and intention to those places in the week ahead. Maybe this week I managed my time well so that I could accomplish those things that help me be who I want to be, but in the process, I took lousy care of myself or ignored the needs of others.

Next week, I’ll be more mindful of taking care of the body and soul I’ve been gifted with and how those around me are doing. I’ll even go as far as to make notes in my old-school paper calendar to remind me of the things I want to pay attention to.

Are you and God in sync?

Of course, the other question that comes up is how to discern if I’m leaning in to who God calls me to be or more toward the person I’ve decided I want to be–and are two things are closely aligned? And my answer to that question is the same as above–not totally. To try and keep these two things in alignment, I have to make sure I’m spending time actually talking TO God and not just ABOUT God to all of you. It’s a hazard of the job–just ask anyone in ministry.

Try it

So, were you the person God created you to be this week? It’s a great question to ask. If we’re being honest, our answer will never be a resounding “yes,” but hopefully a “not quite” or an “almost” rather than a “not at all” will be our answer most of the time. And those things that keep us from getting to an unequivocal “yes” are the places we can grow during the week ahead.

Try it out today. See how it helps frame the week ahead. Don’t define your week (or your life) by the number of items you can check off a to-do list, but by becoming the person God created and calls you to be.

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Rev. Anne Russ is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA), currently based in New York City. Doubting Believer provides tools and encouragement for the rollercoaster ride of your faith journey. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram and YouTube. You can also follow on TikTok. Get emails to keep up with all that is happening.