Living with Purpose
There are many things I can spend my time and life on. However, it is not possible for me to do it all. I cannot be a part of every ministry in my church. I cannot head every committee at school. I cannot be both at home and at work every minute of the day. Everyone makes decisions about how they will spend their time. Unfortunately, nearly everyone becomes a slave to the decisions they make, feeling trapped in “survival mode” and unable to do the good things they know they should do.
Living with purpose means I begin with an eternal perspective. I must accept first that God has numbered my days, and that only he knows the number. I must then accept that God has a purpose and a plan for my life. I cannot live my life making decisions and setting goals because everyone else sets those goals. My goals need to be set between me and God.
Whether spoken or unspoken, the activities I choose to participate in are moving me towards a goal. If that goal lines up with my values and purpose then I feel I am accomplishing something. If that goal is in opposition to my values or purpose I feel ineffective and stressed. If my goals are good and I am working toward my goals and still stressed I should look to see if my daily activities are actually working towards my goal.
Knowing God’s plan or purpose for my life is a good start. Once I know what God wants me to work towards, I need to pay attention to the season of life I am in. Just as a farmer must follow the seasons to determine his work, I must follow the seasons of my life. Doing the right thing at the wrong time is still the wrong thing to do. As I move through life I may find my situation changes, and so the activities God has me working on change. However God’s plan for my life does not change.
Having children is not an interruption to my life. Raising my children is a part of God’s purpose for my life. It is my job to make sure the other things I am doing are part of God’s purpose and plan for my life.
Questions for Reflection
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What things to I feel stressed to complete or participate in?
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In what ways do these things help me fulfill God’s purpose for my life?
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What activities seem to waste my time without purpose?
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What is God’s purpose for my life?
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How can I work towards that purpose in this season of my life?
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