The Purpose of Life
We all face hardship and joy in life. Yet, everything we lose or gain is temporary. The only exception is salvation through Christ. A reality that transcends life!
The very first things to understand are: God loves you!!! and He made you in His image.
Because we are all made in God's spiritual image, we have greater purpose as everyone has the choice to seek our Creator and ask for the wisdom to do great works. This divine wisdom is described in James 1:13-18.
"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason,
full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere." -James 3:17
Have you ever wondered why the human race has a far superior intellect compared to all of the other creatures on Earth? This is because humans are not just made of flesh and bone, but also of the spirit. This spiritual image (our "soul") also means that we are all designed to live forever! We are all connected to the multidimensional universe because we humans have a soul that lives after our physical bodies wear out.
Being created in God's image is NOT to be taken lightly or for granted. Our eternal life is the greatest gift any conscious being could ever be given. Yet this also adds important responsibilities and consequences to our lives.
This reality changes everything in regards to our own purpose in life! We are more than just an aging piece of carbon that turns back into the dust of the Earth when we die. Because of this, we are all very valuable in God's eyes.
God has a plan for all who seek Him and a multidimensional universe ready and waiting for our eternal consumption!!!
What is Temporary and What Lasts Forever?
In our era of busy schedules and high technology, we are bombarded with distractions that lead us to invest our time focusing on material concerns and our own self-interests. This seems quite normal while living in a world where we are often preoccupied by a job, school, family, and paying bills. Add a countless array of entertainment options like social media, TV, shopping and hobbies and there isn't much time left over.
Ultimately, our personal relationships and everything we acquire or strive to maintain in this life is temporary. When we are done renting our aging fleshy bodies, everything that we cared about over our lifetimes comes to an abrupt end.
In the Book of Ecclesiastes 12:7 it says:
"And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it."
If we adjust our viewpoint on life to one that includes a relationship with God and the after life, we can start to gain an honest perspective. Everyone has the potential to build a foundation and make amazing accomplishments that last forever beyond our current lifetimes.
The first step to understanding our true purpose in life is to approach our creator with humility by accepting and honoring God's glory.
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
The second step to finding a greater purpose with life is to prey without ego. This is when God starts to work. Even though we think we know what's best, God is a better judge of what is best for us, our future and those around us.
When we have faith in God and invest our time and our talents without ego by helping others, we are building a foundation that carries on beyond our own personal self interest.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Everyone has the potential to build a foundation and make amazing accomplishments that last forever beyond our current lifetimes.
In 1st Corinthians 3: 11-15 it says:
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
These verses are saying that Christ died on the cross for YOU! He has already paid the price for our sins and made the ultimate sacrifice in the eyes of God by living a sinless life and experiencing death by crucifixion.
Not only is our eternal existence guaranteed, but this reality now frees the human race from worrying about our own salvation so we can now focus on helping others! Amen!!!
What Can We Do To Fulfill our Purpose?
For many, having a career in a ministry or missionary field is a way to serve the Lord.
But for most of us, we can find countless other ways to serve God and fulfill our purpose.
1) Honoring God - Honoring the grace of our Creator and being grateful are the very first steps to fulfilling our purpose. Like demons, believing in God does not mean we honor or respect God. Those who truly honor God's glory, live by His word. We should recognize God's glory and thank God every day for the gift of life and for sending His Son as a sacrifice in forgiving our sins.
2) Repent - God expects us to recognize our sin and ask for forgiveness. Admitting our transgressions and showing remorse for our sins will gain God's respect and forgiveness. We are also expected to forgive others for their transgressions.
3) Prayer - Prayer is our way to ask God for guidance. It is also a way to ask God to help those in need. Praying without ego brings the greatest results. The best way to pray without ego is by asking God to use your abilities for His glory and to help others. Praying for your own benefit may not bring the results you hope for unless it is a part of God's plan.
4) Read the Bible - The Bible is God's word. It's authors were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Every word in the Bible is divinely inspired and for our benefit. The more we read, the better prepared we are in life to discover our true purpose, avoiding life's pitfalls, reaching our potential and understanding the Holy Spirit.
5) The Holy Spirit - An important part of life is understanding how The Holy Spirit (also known as the Holy Ghost) works in our lives. The Holy Spirit is the 3rd aspect of the Trinity (Father, Son and the Holy Spirit). It was sent by God to bring wisdom to those who seek His glory. Many times we can learn to recognize the Holy Spirit through our own intuition or "gut feeling".
6) Representing - As Christians, we are all ambassadors for Christ. When we interact with the World, it is up to us to show kindness and compassion to others. Living a life of humility and showing forgiveness towards those who may not treat us fairly will go a long way to make a positive example in the name of Christ.
7) Sharing the Gospel - Like Jesus we are all fishers of men. Sharing the gospel often starts by making friends and helping others. People are more compelled to listen to those who they know and trust. Teaching others about the Bible does not stop with those that we witness to either, because they will have the power to share the gospel with others themselves.
8) Invest Time & Money - Volunteer and donate to charitable causes. By investing our time and money to help those in need, we can change the lives of the unfortunate forever.
9) Make a Stand - Sometimes the right decision isn't the popular one. Being willing to be unpopular and/or displaying rare courage like a Good Samaritan can also change lives and set a powerful example. Evil prevails on occasions when Christians are afraid to act or make a stand against what may be popular or the easy way out.
10) Encourage One Another - Supporting other Christians and those who have a worthy cause can be crucial to doing great works. We all want support, yet encouraging others can make a huge difference for those around us.
11) Authority - When we have positions of authority or leadership we must realize that our position is a blessing from God. Jesus used his position of authority to teach us to love, respect and care for each other. He ended up giving us His life! While we probably won't have to give up our lives, we must pray for guidance, be fair and use good judgment with those that we lead.
12) Be Ready! - Missing our opportunities and wasting our potential can have a negative domino effect on our lives. It takes a conscious effort on a daily basis to do good works. Hindsight is 20/20... Being unprepared might be the single biggest hindrance to fulfilling life's purpose for Christians around the World.
"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect" -1 Peter 3:15
Opportunity
Each and every Christian is a potential guiding light for the rest of the world. But it takes our work and deeds to make this happen!
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way,
let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Father in heaven." -Matthew 5:14-16
Our life's purpose(s) might be fulfilled through our career, our hobbies, a charity or at church. We should never stop discovering new ways and looking for opportunities to serve the Lord as we live our lives.
If one follows the 12 suggestions above, life's purpose and our unique talents will not only be revealed, but our works will glorify God while shining on others in rewarding ways for one's self and those around us.
In the end, our ultimate purpose, no matter what our gifts and abilities include, will be to help those we communicate with during our lives to make it across the proverbial bridge to eternity. Christ provides our opportunity to cross from this life on to heaven. Like some corporate sales pitch, this really is a numbers game. Every day is an opportunity for us to make this bridge as accessible as possible to all through compassion and mercy.
Helping others to understand the salvation of Christ by building bridges through our relationships and communications skills is everyone's greatest purpose. Every single day is an opportunity to learn and grow from life experiences. Once this becomes a habit, opportunities will arise in ways that were previously unimaginable.
Jesus suffered great persecution and gave his life so that we could live for an eternity. Are we not indebted for His grace? God is the one who gave us the gift of life and is also our ultimate judge. God spans time, knows our hearts, our futures and our best interest. He has a unique plan for everyone. Will you be ready? Understanding the parables that Jesus taught his disciples is a great way to prepare.
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