Living With Purpose
There once was a person who felt defeated in life. It always seemed they fell short of the goals they had set for themselves. And they battled self-criticism as they compared themselves to other Christians that seemed to be thriving. It may seem that some people never struggle with sin, but we all do! The American culture relies on the virtue of self-reliance more than it should. Admirably, we have a sense of what needs to be done, but we often try to do it ourselves. There’s a Higher Power available to all of us; a power much greater than all of us combined. If we lean upon ourselves we will find what’s true of us, is true of everyone. Life is too weighty for us to bear. We weren’t meant to bear life on our own. Your life and all that befalls it is a weight only God can handle.
Some people never entertain the thought about living the Christian life. The life of a Christian is “called-out” and “set apart” and some people don’t know what that means. It’s foreign to them, therefore they run from it, despise it, or try to demean it. One can’t be surrendered to God and love the things of the world at the same time. Misconceptions run wild when the world considers Christianity. Being a Christian doesn’t mean attaining to a certain measure. It’s a matter of knowing the Lord Jesus as your friend.
There’s a Scripture that illustrates the necessity of being linked to a power source that enables us to live as Christians. John 15:4 says, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”
Every Christian desires to live a fruitful life. But we all face the feeling that we don’t measure up and that God is disappointed with us. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of reading and studying the Bible. We should learn to read Scripture as a beautiful expression of the love God has for all of us who have fallen down in our faith. It’s important that you not read the Bible as just a rule book pointing out your failures and short comings. The greatest truth is, if we’re in Christ, God is for us, and He delights in us.
John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” The fruit we are to produce is the fruit of the Spirit, not fruit that we deliver by discipline and will power. A muscular Christian isn’t made strong within themselves. It’s the Spirit flowing through them that makes them strong. Rather than trying harder in our own strength, we’re called to simply accept God’s love and abide in Him.
Don’t face another day feeling like your life doesn’t count for anything. But seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He promises to give you all that you need to accomplish great and small things (Matthew 6:33). Let me share five things that you can do and with God’s wonder-working power you will possess a life that counts! Do the following:
Be teachable. Stubbornness limits your usefulness to God. I’ve known seasoned Christians to be so set in their ways and miss some of life’s greatest blessings. Psalm 32:8 says, “I will guide (teach) you along the best path way for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” We must learn from both God and others. When we’re directed by God we are enabled to count for Him.
Be thoughtful. Try to reach out to others. Don’t let selfishness make you ineffective for God. The Bible says, “Do things with enthusiasm and good will, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for men” (Ephesians 6:7).
Be thankful. God tells us to “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Many people’s lives are unrewarding because they don’t take the time to count their blessings. Practice thanksgiving, because when you do, you please God and become a blessing to others.
Be Trustworthy. Is being dependable important to you? Unfortunately, some Christians become wayward and you never know where to find them. A person’s outreach is limited if they’re not dependable. Being trustworthy makes our prayers, testimonies, and witness more effective. Ephesians 4:14 states, “Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.”
Be Triumphant. The Bible promises, “When the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never ending glory and honor” (1 Peter 5:4). Your life can be victorious here and now, but we must give God first place in our lives and we must be grafted into His vine. This causes us to be triumphant in the life to come.
Don’t try carrying the load alone. Fruit-bearing comes from remaining in Christ and admitting our utter dependence on Him. We aren’t sent to do anything for Jesus on our own, but we are sent to do everything with Him!
• This bi-weekly column is written by Matthew Dobson. He’s a teacher, U.S. Army Chaplain, and the Pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in the New York Community. He recently published another book titled “Living With Purpose Volume III” and it can be purchased on Amazon.com. Contact him at: rmdobson@liberty.edu.
