It looks to me like if we’ll just listen to a little advice things will go our way.
I believe we all have a purpose in life. We were all made for a reason. We exist to complete a plan, a plan larger than any of us can understand. We bang around in life searching for our usefulness. We chase shiny things and things of this world and if we catch them we realize there’s not much there beyond shininess. We are hungry for a connection to others, to a higher power and yet we deny our hunger both actively and passively. We need someone, something to speak to us.
Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Put that way, it almost seems inevitable but is it really? Too often we operate counter to the bible’s advice; advice like that in Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. I could go on and on about this verse’s themes but the advice is clear; don’t follow the world, think for yourself and achieve goodness, acceptance, and perfection. There’s something we chase, isn’t it?
A couple years ago I made it my birthday goal to engineer the perfect day. It was a tongue-in-cheek quest for something we pursue more seriously than we’ll probably admit. It’s funny how a fallible person can delude themselves into thinking perfection is possible. If only we would stop chasing perfection and seek out the promised good in our days like Romans says in 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” The sticker of course is that we have to go along with someone, something larger than ourselves. We have to be okay with NOT taking the reins. Job 22:21 “Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you.” It’s too darn bad that even if we get close to acceptance we still want results on our own timetable.
Habakkuk 2:3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. God allows for our weakness though, thank goodness. We’re comforted in Psalm 73:26: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” We do need strength because pursuing our purpose takes not only patience but persistence and time. There’s work involved. Colossians 3:23 encourages us: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” What I believe my work here on earth consists of is probably far removed from what yours is. This writing that I do every day is my quest, not for perfection but for a greater purpose. Isaiah 55:11 describes my hope: “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” I don’t think I can shoot any higher than that.
I think it’s normal to question our place in the world. Unfortunately we probably look to the wrong places for our purpose in the world when we ought to look for answers in the word. If this shone some light on that for you, I’m glad. If it might help a friend of yours I hope you’ll pass it along.
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