Purpose! Purpose, what is my purpose? Do I have a purpose? If I have a purpose, how do I find out what it is? How can I live my life 'on purpose'?
These are things that I've heard about, read about and thought about over the past couple weeks.
When we are children, and sometimes as adults, we do things and then say we didn't do them 'on purpose'. How many of us have been called on what we did, whether 'on purpose' or not? We were, are and will be held accountable for our actions, whether done 'on purpose' or not! I have known this principle for most of my life but there have been
a few specific pinpointed times throughout my life that I've come face to face with that word, Purpose!
Most of the time I am so secure in the 'purpose' of God in my life. There are, however, times when I'm rocking right along in that 'purpose' and then along comes this 'idea' that maybe I should be doing something more, or something else, am I really sure about this 'purpose'? This got me to thinking that if I think this there are probably others who just may not be sure about the 'purpose' of, in and for their life.
Most Christians know that their 'purpose' is to bring others into the Kingdom of God and disciple them when possible or encourage them to get in a Bible believing/teaching church that will disciple them. But what about the day-to-day? Am I where God wants me? Like, for instance, homeschool? I know that there is flexibility in this form of schooling, but there is also lots of day-to-day, one foot in front of the other, discipline, etc. that goes along with it. What about the support given to the Pastor, my husband? Where is my outlet to minister to others? These are not things I dwell on because whenever these thoughts, ideas, etc. enter my mind I combat them with the Word of God and know that, as stated in Ecclesiastes 3 ..there is a time for every purpose under heaven. Well, that means the activities in my daily life, because they are things done with 'purpose' and they are under heaven are the things I know God placed in my life, or the 'purpose' he gave for this time.
Several years ago, about 17 I think, I was in the company of a lady who had been a Pastor's wife, raised five children and was at that in full time ministry on the mission field in Africa. We were blessed to spend a good bit of quality time together as I was her driving companion as she itinerated for mission support one year. One thing she said that has always stuck with me when 'these thoughts' come about is that she felt, while her children were small, that God had placed a calling on her life to do something BIG for his kingdom in the way of ministry to others. But she was so confined to 'raising her children' and 'supporting her husband as a Pastor'. One of the days when she prayed about it the Lord firmly planted in her heart that his call was made BY HIM, ON PURPOSE. She hadn't 'missed God'. She was right where she was supposed to be.
At the time we were discussing this, her husband had already been with the Lord for a few years. Her five children were all in full time ministry, and she was actually working in Kenya, East Africa with her eldest son. This is what the Lord reminds me of when I begin to question my purpose. Is it his or is it mine? Is it just for now, or will it stand the test of time? All the 'what ifs' are defeated! All the 'is this all there is' attitude is dissipated.
So, if you're thinking that God has forgotten the call that you know he placed in your heart and on your life, know that he always does everything 'on purpose'. And he created you with a 'purpose' in mind. Seek him to find that purpose and depend on him to show it to you and lead you in it.
In His Love & Service,
Jennie
Mt. 6:33, Is. 55:12
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