Purpose. Everyone wants it, but do all people have it?
Having purpose is one of humanity’s basic needs. Knowing why I’m on earth and believing I can make a difference are both essential to good mental health. If I think I have no purpose, I’ll wander from job to job, relationship to relationship, and hobby to hobby with no initiative and with no conviction that I’ll find happiness in any of them. I uncovered my purpose early in life but didn’t pursue it until much later. Consequently, I missed out on many years of what could have been pleasurable and spiritually productive subsistence. Living without purpose is aimless and depressing, but thousands…perhaps millions, do it every day as they wake up with no joy, trudge through the day with no focus, and finally retire never feeling they’ve made a difference.
God’s plan isn’t for anyone to wander aimlessly through life. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)
Regardless of what others might tell me—or even how I might feel, God’s plan for me is personal and purposeful. Personal because it involves me connecting to him through faith and by accepting what Jesus did on Calvary’s cross. Purposeful because once I enter his family, I can watch as his further purposes for me unfold.
Discovering God’s purpose involves several methods. Through intensely praying, I can hear the still small voice of his Spirit giving me direction. By reading his Word, I can make sure the direction I’m traveling lines up with his moral principles for living. And by interacting with other believers, I can enjoy their wisdom, observe their example, and allow them to give me insight about what God wants to do in my life.
Living out God’s purpose is an adventure of ups and downs, mountains and valleys. His plan for me may even change several times over my lifetime, but he will always have something for me to accomplish. Are you realizing God’s purpose for your life?
Prayer: Thank You Lord Jesus for giving our lives purpose and for giving us the strength to live it out.
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