Monday, October 31, 2011
Purpose Livin Strife
What is my purpose? Have you ever asked yourself this question? I have.
A lot of people have shared their struggle with me of feeling they don't know theirs. I have heard many times from the pulpit the saying “know your purpose” and have used a similar expression myself. Most people have heard of or read the book The Purpose Driven Life. This jewel has nothing to do with that book I'm just using it as an example.
My point is people, myself included, seem to get anxious if they think they aren't fulfilling their purpose. They get restless when they feel it's taking too long for their purpose to start. They get fearful if they think they missed their purpose or worse yet aren't good enough for a purpose.
The thing is Gems I meet Christians who feel inadequate in their walk because they don't think they're living their purpose and the worst part is they have no idea what that purpose is! Like God is playing some kind of mind game with them. Again I have been guilty of this very thing.
We start comparing ourselves to other people who we think have not only figured theirs out but are doing it.
I started really praying about this and I was surprised by what answer I felt the Holy Spirit gave me.
The first thing He asked me was where in the Bible did I read about “purpose?”
I couldn't answer that question.
I realized I never actually read it in the Bible I just heard it in sermons or teachings.
I decided to search the Bible but couldn't find any teaching, New or Old Testament that we were born with a certain purpose and we better figure out what it is before Jesus comes back.
If I missed it PLEASE share.
The Holy Spirit told me that God only asked us to do one thing and that was to believe.
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
God created all of us and He will decide what purpose He wants to use us in, not the other way around.
What I mean is God's not waiting in Heaven for me to figure out the plan and purpose for my life He's got it all on lock down and when His plan includes me, He will let me know.
Romans 9:21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
Some of us might be used like a David or an Esther and some of us might just be common folk but we are all special in the Kingdom of God.
The last thing Christ told His disciples to do was to share the gospel with the rest of the world. I guess that could be considered a purpose and it's pretty self explanatory right? Tell people why they should believe in Jesus.
So why all this focus and anxiety on knowing your purpose, what your supposed to be doing????
Back to my conversation with the Holy Spirit.
After clearing up that I was struggling with something that wasn't taught from the Bible He reminded me that the goal is to have your desires and the Lords be the same thing. The more we are seeking God and wanting to do the things that please Him the more He can give us the desires of our heart because we will desire the same things.
So if I'm going to use this purpose thing, my first purpose would be to learn what the heart of God is and then make that a goal for my heart as well.
He said once we are on the same page I should enjoy my life.
WHAT????? Enjoy my life? That's the answer?
I gotta tell you Gems it was short and sweet and it made all the sense in the world to me.
It's not some mystery that only the super spiritual will be able to figure out. It's reading the Bible to learn and understand how much God loves you. It's about meeting Jesus and the Holy Spirit and loving them more than yourself. That in itself is a daily plan.
Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. I'm not saying we shouldn't be in constant prayer for our life. There are times we are waiting on God for a decision or direction. We may be waiting for answers or confirmation ,there are a list of things you may be waiting to hear from God on BUT these are not your purpose they are HIS! I'm also not talking about using your gifts for the Kingdom, when an opportunity presents itself go for it.
God has been using people for His purpose from the beginning. He used Adam to start man kind and He used Eve to begin the plan for salvation. He used Moses to bring His people out of Egypt and He used Pharaoh to try and keep them there. They were used by God for His purpose but I don't' think they walked around asking themselves the question, why am I here. They were living their lives and God used them. His purpose may be exciting and fun or it can be down right painful.
He used Jesus John 12:27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
This jewel is a reminder to me and maybe you too that we can stop saying things like “I don't know what God want's me to do.” He wants you to experience the joy of your salvation. Learn what you can from every place your at. He wants to remind us we can't work into our purpose, you become it as soon as you accept Christ as your Savior. You become a light in a dark world wherever you are at any given moment. Live, laugh, love, make friends, get married, be single, work with animals, have children do all things in a way that would please your Father in Heaven.
The Bible wasn't written about us finding our purpose so we can have a relationship with God. It was written to show us how we can have a relationship with God through Christ.
I think we may have taken this purpose living life to purpose livin strife. If you want to get serious here it's more about being willing to suffer for Christ than thinking we're such an important part of the plan.
2 Timothy 1:8-9a Therefor do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was give to us in Christ Jesus before time began,
Gems the word says His own purpose and grace. Our God, the ultimate Potter made our lump of clay called life before time began. You may be used for a special purpose or you may be just another cracked pot like me and that's OK :) so get rid of purpose strife and live your life!
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