Living With Purpose

Growing up, I had dreams of doing a job I enjoyed and wanted to do. A young person needs to nurture the wholesome dreams and possibilities that pass through their minds. This is healthy, it’s good. For if there is anything that garners hope and satisfaction, it’s the dreams of a life well-lived.

One of my Grandmothers hand-crafted a quilt for me and stitched this verse: “Proverbs 3:5-6” on one of the corners. When I opened the box and read the Scripture reference, I knew it had to be important. I ran and grabbed my Bible. This verse reads: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”   You and I do not have to worry about what it is we should be doing. God created you for a reason and He knows. It’s your responsibility to seek Him to find it. And it’s His responsibility to show you. God tells us in His Word, “Seek me and you will find me.” (Jer. 29:13) He also says, “Call upon me, I will hear you, and tell you great and mighty things that you know not” (Jer. 33:3).

About 10 years after receiving the quilt, my other Grandmother gave me a little book titled, “Finding the Will of God”. It was the same day as my ordination into the ministry and I felt it was her way of sharing the importance of following God’s direction. I still have the book and I’m still searching for God’s Will to this day.

Following God’s is not a once in a lifetime choice, such as the ideal of choosing a spouse for life or a lifetime vocation. Choosing to trust God is a task that requires you to surrender your will every single day. This is where some people drop the ball. It is the tangible things, the worldly lusts of the flesh that draw us away.  The temptation to “have it our way” is easy to pursue. Make no mistake about it, there are two different battles going on in your body and mind. You can call this battle the struggle between God and self, good and evil, the angels and demons, between the spirit and the flesh. But whatever you call it, it is there and it is very real! But the life that chooses to trust and obey is the life that is lived with no confusion, no regret, and no doubts. If you know the Bible, you know that Jesus never did anything selfish, always Father-focused, honoring God and pleasing Him (John 8:29). Part of the process of pleasing God and finding His will is to rid yourself of negative thoughts, bad memories, and wrong decisions. The Devil would like nothing better than to have you sink in despair over your past mistakes and keep you from trusting God’s perfect plan for your life.

I have often told people, who ask me about God’s plan for their life, that His will is not a “game of Hide & Seek”.  It might seem mysterious at times. It’s definitely unknown, until you get in the proper frame of mind, with the right attitude, that God is willing to show you the “master plan” for your life. When you and I make our minds amenable to God’s Will, we can accomplish miraculous things. For God, the Creator of the universe chooses you and me to help build His Kingdom. Think of this, God can do all things without our help. Yet, He wants us to be involved, so that we might be blessed in the process. But more than that, He wants us to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. We are never more like Christ than when we choose to be obedient to God’s Will and God’s Word. God created many things, but what distinguishes us human beings is the fact we are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27).

So, what’s God’s Will for you specifically? Track the following steps: 1) Be honest about what you would like to do, 2) Consider what you’re good at (talents, gifts, etc.), 3) Ask God for the ability to do your best with your talents, gifts and leave the results confidently to God, 4) Ask yourself does this job or activity bring me closer to God or take me away, 5) Consider how your actions and abilities can and will affect others. These are a few suggestions that can help you narrow things down a bit. But, above all things, bathe everything in genuine and sincere prayer. Prayer availeth much (James 5:16). Practice the attitude of putting everything in God’s hands. Taking these steps will be much easier when you find a church, 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.