Ecclesiastes 4:4 –
“Again, I considered
all travail, and every right work, that all for this a man envied of his
neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.”
The man without a purpose
is like a ship without a rudder-a waif, a nothing, a no man.” (Thomas Carlyle)
Everyone’s life is driven by
something. So how about mine? Is my life driven by a problem? Pressure? Or a
deadline? A painful memory, a haunting fear, or an unconscious belief. There
are hundreds of circumstances, values, and emotions that drive our lives. Here
are some;
Guilt – we sometimes spend our
entire lives running from regrets and hiding shame that we feel. But people
that are driven by guilt are manipulated by memories. We allow the past to control
our future and punish ourselves unconsciously by sabotaging our own success.
When Cain sinned his guilt disconnected him from God’s presence and God said,
“You will be a restless wanderer on the earth”. This is a classic description
of people today who are wandering without a purpose.
Yes, we are products
of our past, but that does not mean that we have to be prisoners of it. God’s
purpose for me is NOT LIMITED to MY PAST! If he could turn a murderer named
Moses into a leader and a coward named Gideon into a courageous hero, then
surly He can do amazing things with my life, for God specializes in giving
people a fresh start! J
“What happiness for those whose guilt has been
forgiven! … What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared
their record?”
Anger and
resentment –
Sometimes, there are some hurts that we hold on to that we
never get over. Instead of us releasing pain through forgiveness, we rehearse
it over and over again in our minds. People who are driven by resentment either
internalize their anger or take their anger out on others. But both responses
are unhealthy and unhelpful.
But resentment will hurt me more than the person that I
resent; because the chances are that the person that has offended me has
forgotten and moved on in life. And here I: in pain, perpetuating the past.
Those who have hurt you in the past cannot
continue to hurt you now unless you
hold on to the pain through resentment. My past is past! Nothing will change
it. I am hurting myself bitterness. So for my own sake, I should just learn
from it, then let it go.
Fear – sometimes fears
are a result from a traumatic experience, unrealistic expectations, growing up
in a high-control home, or even genetic predisposition. Regardless of the
cause, fear-driven people often miss great opportunities because they are
afraid to venture out. Fear is self-imposed prison that will keep me from
becoming what God intends for me to be.
I MUST move against it with the weapons of faith and love.
Fear is crippling, but it is banished by love – the LOVE of GOD.
Materialism – this is when our desire
to acquire becomes the whole goal of our lives. It is when you always want more
based on the misconception that having more will make you more happy, more
important and more secure, however all these are untrue. Possessions are only temporary happiness, things do not
change, eventually we’ll get bored of them and what newer, bigger and better
versions.
Self-worth and net worth are not the same. Your value is
not determined by your valuables, and God says the most valuable things in life are not things. Having
more money will not make you more secure, wealth can be lost instantly through
a variety of uncontrollable factors. Real security can only be found in that
which can never be taken from you: your relationship with God.
Need for approval – I should not allow the
expectations of my parents, or future spouse or children or teachers or friends
control my life. Many adults are still trying to earn the approval of unpleased
parents. While others are driven by peer pressure, always worrying by what
others might think, unfortunately those who follow the crowd get lost in it.
I don’t need to know all the keys to success, but all I
need to know is that trying to please everyone is a step towards failure. Being
controlled by the opinions by others is a guaranteed way to miss God’s purposes
for your life. No one can serve two masters.
There are many other factors, but these all lead to the
same dead end: unused potential, unnecessary stress, and an unfulfilled life.
But a purpose driven life – a life that is guided,
controlled and directed by God’s purposes. Nothing matters more than knowing
God’s purposes for my life, and nothing can compensate for not knowing them –
not success, nor wealth, fame, or pleasure. Without a purpose, life is motion
without meaning, activity without direction, and events without reason. Without
a purpose, life is trivial, petty, and pointless.
Nothing matters more than knowing God’s purpose for
my life, and nothing can compensate for not knowing them.
BENEFITS OF LIVING A
PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE:
1. It gives
meaning to your life – without God, life
has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning life
has no significance or hope. The greatest tragedy is not death, but a life
without purpose. Hope is essential, and we need hope to cope. Wonderful
changes are going to happen in your life as you begin to live it on purpose!
2.
Life is
simplified – what I do and what I do not are defined by me knowing my
purpose. My purpose sets my standards to evaluate which activities are
essential and which are not. Without a clear purpose you have no foundation on
to base your decisions, allocate time and use your resources. My choices would
be made rather cased on circumstances, pressures, and my mood at that moment.
People who don’t know their purpose try to do too much – and that causes
stress, fatigue and conflict. It is impossible for me to do everything people
what me to do, because God gave me time to fulfil His purpose, and trying to do
more than that means that I’m trying to do more than what God has intended for
me. A purpose driven life leads to a more simpler lifestyle and a saner
schedule.
3. Focuses on your
life- it concentrates all your effort
and energy on what’s important. And you become effective by being selective.
Without a clear purpose, you will keep changing directions, jobs,
relationships, churches, or ecternals – hoping each change will settle the
confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart; but it doesn’t solve my real
problem – a lack of focus and purpose. In order for my life to have an impact
on those around me, I need to focus it and stop dabbling! And I need to stop
trying to do it all! I need to do less. Prune away even the good activities and
only do the ones that matters the most. I mustn’t confuse activity with
productivity. Because, I can be busy without a purpose, but what’s the point?
Let’s keep focuses on that goal, those of us who want
everything God has for us”
4.
It motivates
your life – purpose produces passion. But passion dissipates when
you lack purpose, that even getting out of bed becomes a major chore. It is
usually meaningless work, not overwork, that wears us down, saps our strength
and robs our joy.
5. Prepares you
for eternity – many people spend their
lives trying to create a lasting legacy on earth. They want to be remembered
when they’re gone. Yet, what ultimately matters most will not be what others
say about your life but what God says. What I have failed to realize is that
all achievements are eventually surpassed, records are broken, reputations fade
and tributes are forgotten.
Given enough time, all your trophies will be
trashed by someone else!
Living to create an earthly legacy is a
short-sighted goal. A wiser use of my time is to build an eternal legacy. I was
not put on earth to be remembered, but to prepare for eternity. One day we will
all stand in front of God to give an account of our time here on earth, and we
will each answer two main questions:
·
What did you do with my Son, Jesus Christ? God will not ask about religious background or doctrinal
views. But rather whether you have accepted what Jesus sis for you and if you
have learned to love and trust Him? Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Light. No man cometh to the Father, but
by Me.
·
God will ask, what
did you do with what I gave you? This refers to all the gifts, talents,
opportunities, relationships and resources God has given me. Did I spend them
on myself?? Or did I use it for God’s purpose for me? The first question will
determine what I will spend eternity and the second question will determine
ehat I do in eternity.
Point
to ponder:
Living on purpose is the path to
peace
Verse:
“Thou
wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he
trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)
Question to consider:
What would my family and friends say is the driving force
of my life? What do I want it to be?
(Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren)
No comments:
Post a Comment