Living with Purpose
You can’t put in what God left out. However, you can certainly improve on what you’ve been given. But how can this be you say? “I’m 65 years old, my life is going downhill”, or “I’m 35 years old and have kids now, what you see is what you get”, or “I’m 15 years old, people should do things for me, don’t tell me what to do.” I say: “You can change for the better, if you think you can!” You can be better than the person you are right now. The days of 2011 are gone and it’s time to flush out your old, tired, worn-out thoughts.
Life has much to offer the person who chooses to pursue the positive things taught by our Savior Jesus Christ. Accepting new thoughts about yourself takes a willful effort and that effort can be met with sustained energy when you understand where your strength comes from. Psalm 27:1, 3 says, “The Lord is the strength of my life…in this will I be confident.” When someone has confidence in the Lord, you can be sure that person will have a steady flow of God’s enabling power. It’s high time you do something about yourself. A friend of mine once told me she wasn’t going to wait for God’s best, she had seen second-best and it was good enough for her. What a shame! Whoever you are, don’t settle for second-rate goods. So many people choose to settle, and the abundant life Jesus spoke of alludes them (see John 10:10).
The success you will have in the New Year (notice I said “will have” and not “might have”), should not be based on money, power, family, or our vain appearances. But success should be based on your faithfulness to the purposes of God. Living every day in God’s will, surrendered to Him in companionship with the Holy Spirit. This friends, is not high unattainable religious talk and it’s not a hustle. It’s real, it’s effective, and what we were meant for. If you’ve never trusted God before, now is the time to do it. Just choose in your mind to live with purpose. In a way, you can look at the whole history of the human race and trace every problem back to a lack of purpose or failure to pursue the right purpose. In fact, that’s what idolatry is, a failure to value and pursue that which is most valuable, namely, God.
God gives a clear and compelling purpose to us and He desires a close relationship with all of us. With that relationship, comes the knowledge of our specific calling as we follow Jesus in every area of our life. When we know why we are here, it makes things simpler. It gives us the possibility of focus, effectiveness, and joy, provided we act on the knowledge that we’ve been given. Go hard after the prize! (Phil. 3:14) A life of purpose is based on God’s Word. It’s not something we have to dream up ourselves. Your purpose is to know Jesus and pursue your calling in Him.
Positive results for you in 2012 will depend upon how much you give of yourself. You’ve heard this before, but it’s an unavoidable principle. If you start out with the idea of giving instead of getting, you will succeed not only in a spiritual way, but in a worldly way—more prosperity. You harvest what you plant. The Bible says, “For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap…” (Gal. 6:7) I’m talking about giving of yourself, your goodwill, your really best wishes. You must give of your own life, you must think of others, want their prosperity, help them in their hopes. Encourage their best efforts.
Once in a while you will find a skeptic who cannot understand this concept. Perhaps you are one. But for every person like that, you will find many, many more who will pour out their pent-up love in return for it. For every person in whom you help, they can’t help in giving something to you—even if it’s just an affirmation of thanks or appreciation or a hearty slap on the back. But it will come, the Bible says so. Scattered throughout your life will be many friends all “pulling” for you to reach your goals. Surround yourself with them.
Are you 15, 35, or even 65 years old? It’s not too early and it’s not too late to let God take control. Hear these words, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out…Behold I make all things new” (John 6:37). What a wonderful thought. Trust God with your life as you start the New Year. Surrender your heart to Him. Find a church where God’s Word is truthfully taught, attend faithfully, and follow God in all your ways.
- This weekly column is written by Matthew Dobson. A graduate of Florida State University, University of West Florida, and Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, he is Pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in Jay, Florida. Matthew can be reached by email: rmdobson@liberty.edu. He welcomes your thoughts and questions concerning faith, belief, and Christian living.
