Tag Archives: Purpose

My Purpose?

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Paul tells us that we’ve been “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we would walk in them.”(Ephesians 2:10) God has created and redeemed each one of us with an individual purpose in mind, often thought of as a personal calling.

We all share this inward tug as believers. So letting life move us forward without any real sense of direction can’t help but lead to a sense of confusion and frustration. “What am I doing for God? I just don’t know what my purpose is. Why can’t I be more like what’s-his-name over there?”

This is by no means an uncommon problem. In talking with others over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that the majority of Christians find themselves stuck in the disappointing position of not understanding what God’s intent is for their life. I often sense it myself. And even those who have been used by God in some unique way sometimes share this frustration, since falling back into that familiar holding pattern is easy to do once a job is completed.

Apparently we can’t just lean back and rest on our laurels, since that merely serves to produce the same sense of dissatisfaction as if we’d never experienced the fulfillment of walking in God’s calling at all.     

We Need Purpose

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Do you ever feel like you’re in some sort of holding pattern as a Christian? Even though you may be pursuing relationship with Christ—faithfully fulfilling your sense of duty by going to church, loving God, your family and others, and just being a good person in general—there’s a good chance that you’re still left with a sense of emptiness.

The reason for this is that along with being born as a child of God into Christ’s kingdom there comes an innate sense of destiny. So if we’re living life simply biding our time, more or less going through the motions of our faith, we shouldn’t be surprised to find ourselves not entirely satisfied.

The issue is purpose. not necessarily our eternal purpose in Christ, but rather the purpose for our life while on earth. One very perplexing problem for the Christian is that it’s possible to have a good understanding of God’s heavenly purpose and still be quite bewildered as to His earthly purpose for us.

Never Be Shaken

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Cast your burdens upon Me and I will sustain you. I will never allow the righteous to be shaken. I lead you forth by the power of My Holy Spirit so you can speak a word in season. I give you divine utterances and gifts so you can represent Me and walk in My power. Rely on Me alone. Don’t trust in anyone or anything else besides Me to live out your calling here on earth. Set your gaze securely on Me and step into all I have for you.

Psalm 55:22

A Holy Calling

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My child, I have saved you and called you with a holy calling, not according to your works, but according to My own purpose and grace which was granted to you in Christ Jesus from all eternity. Therefore, walk by My Spirit and you will not carry out the deeds of the flesh. Guard your heart and I will give you understanding in everything.

2 Timothy 1:9        2 Timothy 2:7       Galatians 5:16

God Desires Our Good

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Unquestionably, God wants good for us here, but His plan ultimately revolves around our union with Him later. So He has designed things such that His purpose can only come to fruition as we receive Christ as Lord and Savior, and then enter into a lifelong pursuit of God in spite of our human penchant to choose self in place of Him.

So our ongoing battle with the flesh, as we’re confronted daily by a world steeped in sin, boils down to one thing only: choice with teeth, decision with real meaning. And this is precisely why God had to allow sin to play such a major role in our decision-making.

But how could God (whose very essence is goodness) give evil the right to exist at all, much less allow it to have such overwhelming and destructive power over mankind? Again, choice is the answer to this age-old question. In His unfathomable wisdom, God has ordained that His children choose Him freely—and the more difficult the choice, the better He likes our yes. It makes the value we place on Him all the more meaningful.

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

Dispelling a Myth

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Let’s dispel a myth quite popular in Christian circles. It is this: the idea that our life here on earth would be so wonderful if only Adam had not sinned. Well, I suppose it would be, but all the same it stands in direct opposition to God’s purpose. Why? Because given the nature of man, Adam was doomed to sin. Strong words, I know, yet true. But why would God set the stage for that to happen—both to him and to us? Couldn’t we more wholeheartedly commit ourselves to Christ’s lordship if sin were never an issue?

What could possibly be wrong with wanting complete freedom from the influence of sin so that single-minded devotion to God might not only be easier but more pleasurable? Well, we need to think about what letting us slide through life here on earth in the comfort and security of sinlessness would ultimately achieve. It’s only possible outcome would be a good life here, with the added hope of even a better eternal life in heaven.

What’s the problem with that, you might ask? The trouble with this notion is that, while nice, it’s not God’s reality. He has a much greater purpose for our lives, because our eternal destiny with Him in heaven is indeed much more than just a wonderful place to spend eternity.

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

 

Self-Will

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A commonly taught principle relevant to God’s purpose for man is that he is endowed with free will. It is said that man is a free moral agent, meaning he possesses unrestricted power in making moral choices.Indeed, how could God possibly have designed man devoid of the power of choice? He had to give him the ability to choose—not merely between right and wrong, but more importantly choice in regard to the lordship of God over his life.

Yet what appears on the surface to be the ability to choose freely, is in a very real sense something more than merely free will. 

Man’s rejection of God as Lord of his life does not in any way mean that he possesses the ability of free choice in regard to everything else. Rather, in refusing to accept God’s purpose and plan for his life, he inevitably opens himself up to control by some other outside force.  And this force is ultimately Satan. But the tool the devil uses to subjugate mankind is man’s will—a will inherently rooted in self-interest. So we should instead think of this self-serving attribute of man’s nature—what we commonly call free will—as self-will.

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

Obstacles & Trials

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My child, I will give you the ability to accomplish what I have called you to do. Trust Me and know that I go before you to clear your path. The obstacles I do leave are only for your growth. Do not fear them or be embittered against them. Learn to grow from every trial. Rejoice and know that after you have come through you will receive the crown of life which I promise to all who love Me.

James: 1:12