Finding your purpose...
The struggle is real.
Whether you are a teenager, a college student, a newlywed, a middle aged woman, or an elderly woman. The struggle for who you are and what your purpose is, is very real.
I am certainly no expert on this. This has been a life long question in my own life. Searching, searching, and searching for my part in this world. Surely, there is a plan for me that I am on the verge of discovering and when I do everything will come together...finally.
However, through my own personal struggle, really more like a wrestling, with God over this question, I have learned a few things along the way.
Without vision, we perish. Proverbs 29:18(a)
We must get up in the morning and have a clear plan for our day. Not our lives necessarily, just our day.
Give us this day, our daily bread. Matthew 6:11
Our purpose is found in today. Not tomorrow, not next week, or next year...but today.
Who we determine to be today, will determine who we are tomorrow and 10 years from tomorrow.
Each day has a purpose and a plan for our lives. Wrapped up in the trivial, the seemingly meaningless, is where we are made. Where we are shaped, and where we are sculpted.
Jesus cares much more about how we speak to our spouse, or the waitress, or the cashier at Walmart than how many christian books we have read or how many chapters in the bible we can quote. The things in life we think don't really matter....really do.
If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. Luke 16:10
Our purpose is found in how we live in these moments. The attitude of our hearts, and the motivations of our hearts.
Do you really think Jesus cares if I write a million blog posts about Him if I close my laptop and throw stones at my neighbor, or gossip about the new girl in town, or secretly despise my inlaws? [i love my inlaws by the way!]
We spend so much time trying to better ourselves. Making ourselves presentable to a world that is dying by the minute. A world that will be burnt to ashes in the blink of an eye when Jesus returns.
Our purpose will never, ever be found here.
Our purpose is only found in Christ.
When we stop searching for more of ourselves, we finally find ourselves.
A life hidden in Christ.
For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
This is such irony, isn't it? The minute we stop looking for our purpose, is the minute we find it in Him. If you are a Christian, your destiny has already been written with Jesus, sweet friend.
You don't have to strive to discover hidden talents or an underlying grand purpose.
Your purpose is being called His.
Your purpose is surrendering every ounce of your heart to Him and letting nothing get in the way of this.
And, just like our daily bread, this is a daily surrender.
We live in a fallen world. Sin knocks daily at our door. The enemy begs us to look for more, more, more. Surely, there has to be more, he tells us. Surely, you can do better than this, he mocks.
Eve fell for his lies. She listened to his seductive words and fell right into his big trap.
Let's learn from Eve.
Less is more.
Less of us, and more of Christ.
Less of looking for ourselves, and more of dying to ourselves.
He must become greater, I must become less. John 3:30
Do you not see the lure, the seduction around you? Around our children?
It's all over the place. It is on billboards, in magazines, on social media....the lure to do more. The lure to be more. The lure to be noticed. And liked. And sought after.
Jesus tells us to take up our cross and follow Him.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24
We cannot follow Him and the world.
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Matthew 6:24
Picture this with me, will you?
Imagine yourself picking up a heavy cross the moment your eyes open this morning. Steady it on your back really good. Now look up and see Jesus right in front of you. Take a step to Him, and keep walking.
You cannot take your eyes off of Him with that cross on your back. You will misstep and fall out of balance if you look back or look down at yourself.
The only way to carry that cross is by looking eyes straight forward and walking in sync with Him.
Your purpose is found when you just follow Him.
Obey His commands, and follow Him.
If you don't know His commands, open up your bible and discover them.
Do you remember what Mary, the mother of Jesus did for a living? Me either.
What about Paul? He was a tent maker. But that isn't what he is known for.
Mary and Paul found their purpose in Christ.
They lost their lives to Him.
Jesus lost His life for us first.
Let's follow His lead, shall we?
picking up my cross,
jill
Whether you are a teenager, a college student, a newlywed, a middle aged woman, or an elderly woman. The struggle for who you are and what your purpose is, is very real.
I am certainly no expert on this. This has been a life long question in my own life. Searching, searching, and searching for my part in this world. Surely, there is a plan for me that I am on the verge of discovering and when I do everything will come together...finally.
However, through my own personal struggle, really more like a wrestling, with God over this question, I have learned a few things along the way.
Without vision, we perish. Proverbs 29:18(a)
We must get up in the morning and have a clear plan for our day. Not our lives necessarily, just our day.
Give us this day, our daily bread. Matthew 6:11
Our purpose is found in today. Not tomorrow, not next week, or next year...but today.
Who we determine to be today, will determine who we are tomorrow and 10 years from tomorrow.
Each day has a purpose and a plan for our lives. Wrapped up in the trivial, the seemingly meaningless, is where we are made. Where we are shaped, and where we are sculpted.
Jesus cares much more about how we speak to our spouse, or the waitress, or the cashier at Walmart than how many christian books we have read or how many chapters in the bible we can quote. The things in life we think don't really matter....really do.
If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. Luke 16:10
Our purpose is found in how we live in these moments. The attitude of our hearts, and the motivations of our hearts.
Do you really think Jesus cares if I write a million blog posts about Him if I close my laptop and throw stones at my neighbor, or gossip about the new girl in town, or secretly despise my inlaws? [i love my inlaws by the way!]
We spend so much time trying to better ourselves. Making ourselves presentable to a world that is dying by the minute. A world that will be burnt to ashes in the blink of an eye when Jesus returns.
Our purpose will never, ever be found here.
Our purpose is only found in Christ.
When we stop searching for more of ourselves, we finally find ourselves.
A life hidden in Christ.
For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
This is such irony, isn't it? The minute we stop looking for our purpose, is the minute we find it in Him. If you are a Christian, your destiny has already been written with Jesus, sweet friend.
You don't have to strive to discover hidden talents or an underlying grand purpose.
Your purpose is being called His.
Your purpose is surrendering every ounce of your heart to Him and letting nothing get in the way of this.
And, just like our daily bread, this is a daily surrender.
We live in a fallen world. Sin knocks daily at our door. The enemy begs us to look for more, more, more. Surely, there has to be more, he tells us. Surely, you can do better than this, he mocks.
Eve fell for his lies. She listened to his seductive words and fell right into his big trap.
Let's learn from Eve.
Less is more.
Less of us, and more of Christ.
Less of looking for ourselves, and more of dying to ourselves.
He must become greater, I must become less. John 3:30
Do you not see the lure, the seduction around you? Around our children?
It's all over the place. It is on billboards, in magazines, on social media....the lure to do more. The lure to be more. The lure to be noticed. And liked. And sought after.
Jesus tells us to take up our cross and follow Him.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24
We cannot follow Him and the world.
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Matthew 6:24
Picture this with me, will you?
Imagine yourself picking up a heavy cross the moment your eyes open this morning. Steady it on your back really good. Now look up and see Jesus right in front of you. Take a step to Him, and keep walking.
You cannot take your eyes off of Him with that cross on your back. You will misstep and fall out of balance if you look back or look down at yourself.
The only way to carry that cross is by looking eyes straight forward and walking in sync with Him.
Your purpose is found when you just follow Him.
Obey His commands, and follow Him.
If you don't know His commands, open up your bible and discover them.
Do you remember what Mary, the mother of Jesus did for a living? Me either.
What about Paul? He was a tent maker. But that isn't what he is known for.
Mary and Paul found their purpose in Christ.
They lost their lives to Him.
Jesus lost His life for us first.
Let's follow His lead, shall we?
picking up my cross,
jill
