I've also been debating reading The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren, and I'm pretty sure that whenever I get a few seconds to breathe, I'm going to work it in, and start reading the daily chapters. I feel honestly that I know what God's purpose is for me right now, but I'm also sure that I will benefit from the insights found in these two books.
In the beginning of God's Story, Anne Graham Lotz mentioned several celebrity types experiencing different degrees of emptiness in their lives and reacting in many different ways to that emptiness, seeking meaning and purpose in some really misguided ways. Then she poses the question, "What really gives meaning to your life?" She lists a lot of things, different forms of selfishness and pleasure-seeking, and it wasn't as a way to suggest those things as meaning ... but a way to call you out if that type of life is the one you've been chasing. And I got to thinking...
I know what my purpose is. I know why I am here on this Earth. But do the people around me know also? Am I achieving that purpose? I believe that all humans are here for two simple purposes:
- to love God, to worship Him and rejoice in the life He gives us, just as we want our children to love us and be thankful for what do for them.
- to spread that joy and His gospel through all the world, so that all who choose Him can experience His love and provision.
But really, am I doing that? Amd I always seeking God, seeking to nurture my faith and trust in He who sent His own Son to suffer and die for my sake? Probably not. Especially times like the past few weeks, times that are stressful and hard; but these are the times when I really need to strengthen my faith. I've seen God in my life, I seen His works in the lives of those around me. And I still see Him daily.
Even so, that doesn't achieve my purpose, unless I'm telling the world about my God and what he's done in my life. It seems so often lately that I'm seeing God moving in my family, so often lately that I can just barely hear the still, small voice of God, quietly murmuring, "Trust me. I'm still here. I love you, I will never leave you. And do not fear, I will take care of your needs."
I also believe there is something I need to work on, something that will help me to be strong in my faith in times of need. I need to learn to just sit back in the quiet, listening to His reassurance that He is here, and that all will be well.
