Devotions this week based on the Message: “Hope Comes with Life Purpose”.
Google “Find my purpose” and you will find many different blogs, articles and assessments ready to help you figure it out.
One such article suggested:
- Donate Time, Money, or Talent. …
- Listen to Feedback. …
- Surround Yourself With Positive People. …
- Start Conversations With New People. …
- Explore Your Interests. …
- Consider Injustices That Bother You. (https://www.verywellmind.com/tips-for-finding-your-purpose-in-life-4164689)
These and many more can be helpful. You may find satisfaction in helping with your time and resources. You can hone in on where you can make a difference based on where people give you positive feedback. Learn from new people, explore interests, help right a wrong…the list goes on.
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with doing these things and being a blessing to others through them. The bigger question to ask is this, “Is any one of these “THE” purpose for your life?”
At times in my quest to discover purpose, it seemed that much of the discussion of purpose focused on what you DO, suggesting that a single activity or season of activity would bring you to find your life’s purpose. Be a pastor…be a professional athlete…start a non-profit…feed the hungry…discover a medical breakthrough…etc. You may look back at these activities and say, “Now I know why I was born.” Great…but is just “DOING” something of significance or a certain activity the essence of our purpose? Or is there more to our purpose than just what we do?
As we said yesterday, let us go back to the ONE who made us. Read John 15:1-8. Ask yourself, “What is the purpose Jesus is giving me in these verses?”
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Jesus is teaching us that his purpose for us is to bear fruit to his Father’s glory…yet if I do not understand what goes into producing that fruit and what that fruit is, we will miss grasping our purpose. As Jesus loves to do, he loves to dig deeper…to our hearts to ensure what is inside is properly oriented so we can produce the fruit he desires. So…we continue the journey tomorrow so we understand how to produce fruit…
Apply: Consider some of the “accomplishments” you have achieved. Would you consider any of these your “life’s purpose”? Why or why not?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for challenging me to dig past the surface and find a deeper rooted and placed purpose in you. AMEN.