Why create a life for yourself?
We become too clingy, too
needy or even morose without one. Ever seen a woman who’s always calling her husband and kids
to check up on them? One who’s overly-involved in her children’s
activities? Or one who crumbled, zombie-like when her grown kids left home?
Who wants to be anchorless like that? Life will not always be as it is today, so it behooves us to prepare for any future by creating a life within us which cannot be taken away.
Besides, God gave us all a purpose before we arrived on this
planet, something He wanted accomplished through us, uniquely, and we’re now
responsible for carrying-out His plan. We’re necessary to making this world go
‘round.
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart..." ... Jeremiah 1:5
How do you create your own life apart?
You begin by listening closely to Jesus, our original designer who knows exactly what we should be doing. And then you answer questions: What am I good at? What do
other people say I do well? What comes a bit easier to me than others?
What do I lose track of time, doing? What do I enjoy and has the potential to bless and help other people?
Always, the goal of our calling is to help others--and in doing so--we come away with such joy, ourselves. You don't see how what you're good at will help anybody? Don't worry--God doesn't want us trying to reason-out the future. Just begin studying, practicing, becoming proficient at whatever you're meant to do.
Finding our purpose was never meant to be confusing or
anything near rocket science. God’s got a specific plan, a certain life for each of us and He wants to
get on with it today. Waiting until nearing our death bed only leads to a
half-lived, could-have-been-more life.
Why do we sometimes miss this whole exciting,
custom-designed plan? We don't believe we have one. Or we're fragmented, flittering around like hummingbirds, spending time here, there, trying this activity, that one , then moving on. Or we say yes to other folks and help them
advance their purpose (which is fine if that’s our calling) while our own
purpose remains in some dark corner. Or we spent years focusing on our own plan, not God's.
There’s a type of happiness which comes only by doing exactly what God always meant us to do. If, since young womanhood, we dreamed of becoming
a circus clown yet God created us to be a dog walker—even if we become that
clown—the joy and grace will be fleeting. Walking dogs will bring an underlying joy which
remains, which becomes our strength, even if no one applauds.
God’s plan for us is never about applause anyway. Instead,
it’s about changing this world into something closer to what He had in mind
when He first created it--by bringing
back men’s hearts to Him. And He’s found specific ways to do that through each
of us.
All that remains is for us to get on board with His ideas,
His ways, His custom-made plan... and then let the joy of obedience begin!
******
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." ... Luke 6:38
"The greatest of these is Love." ... from 1 Corinthians 13
