For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. They are plans for good, not disaster, to give you a future and hope. – Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
A man can lose his job and find another, lose money, and earn it back, but losing purpose, the essential motivation to live, and the true meaning of life can be profoundly painful.
Dear friend, have you lost your purpose in life? Do you feel your life has reached a grinding halt? God wants to change your life and your perspective on life. What is not possible for us is possible for Him.
Do not be deceived by worldly purpose:
Many of us are deceived and dissatisfied by comparing our lives with the popular definition of success. We tend to compare our success and benchmark them with our friend’s success. We look at others lives and think we have failed and lost our purpose when they rise up in life.
We tend to closely associate the satisfaction of life with triumph and trophies. The World teaches us to study hard, get a good job, make money, retire early, and enjoy life. The young people work hard and compete for top-paying jobs. The professionals work hard to get promotions. The people in business work hard to expand their business. We do all these to get more money, live a comfortable life, and get a name and fame. Somehow, everyone agrees this is the way to live. Most believe this is the purpose of life.
One of the richest men, Solomon, gets to enjoy everything in life. There is nothing that was expensive for Him. He owned plenty of Gold and silver.
Yet Solomon wrote these words in his old age. Reading them will show the number of regrets he carried at the end of his life.
“I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and Gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” – Ecclesiastes 2:4-8,11 NIV.
Solomon spent his whole life chasing wisdom, acquiring wealth, and fulfilling the desires of his heart. But in his old age, he looked back and found that everything he had done was meaningless and worthless. He regretted putting all his energy into things that does not have value.
The Greatness of Purpose:
Our education can give you profession, money, and wealth. But it can not give purpose to our life. The purpose can not be earned by talent, study, and knowledge. Why?
Paul did not discover his life’s purpose while studying under the feet of a great teacher and wise Gamaliel. He found the true purpose of his life when he was thrown away on the roadside in the presence of Jesus.
Abraham did not find his life purpose while living with his father’s family. But he did find it when he obeyed God and followed Him to an unknown land.
Jacob did not find his purpose while staying with his dear mom. He was known as a deceiver. But he found his true purpose while running away alone: to save his life from his brother, who was planning to kill him.
Moses did not find his purpose while living in a palace in Egypt. But he found it while caring for his father-in-law’s sheep in the wilderness.
Jesus’s disciples did not find their purpose while working as talented fishermen and tax collectors. They received a new purpose when they obeyed the call to follow Jesus and became fishers of men.
All of them realized how great the purpose for which they are called.
Abraham and Jacob became the fathers of many nations. Joseph became the prime minister of Egypt and saved the land from famine.
Paul preached the Good News to the known World of the 1st century and wrote most of the New Testament.
Moses led the Israelites to the promised land and became a great leader.
Jesus’s disciples truly became the fishers of men.
My friend, what about your life? Are you looking for a profession or a purpose?
How to receive your purpose?
The purpose is revealed, not earned. No one can find his purpose unless it is revealed to him. No one can realize how precious and important he is unless he realizes it.
The Bible says, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole World, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” – Matthew 16:26.
We are more precious and important than the World, which consists of all the precious metals such as Gold, silver, diamond, and natural resources.
Only God, the creator, can tell us the true reason and the purpose of our life.
God told Jeremiah:
I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations. – Jeremiah 1:5 NLT.
God determined Jeremiah’s purpose in life while he was in his mother’s womb. He has a purpose for your life, and he has a purpose for mine.
God always determines and reveals our purpose to those who sincerely seek it. We all have free will and can choose not to follow God’s purpose. Hence, God’s purpose is always revealed to those who are sincere and willing to obey God.
Jesus said, “Do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” – Matthew 7:6
God does not reveal precious things to those ignorant and unwilling to follow them. Your purpose is precious. God’s purpose is revealed only to those hungry to fulfill God’s call.
God called Samuel a great prophet who was ready to obey Him at any cost. He was searching for a sincere leader, and there was Samuel, an obedient young boy who said, “Speak to me, Lord; I am listening.”
How many of us have a sincere heart to follow Jesus’s purpose for us today?
God is not looking for the most talented and qualified. He is looking for the most humble, obedient, and sincere people so that He can use them to establish His kingdom.
God equips those whom he chooses. Everyone was astonished by the words of His disciples because they were unschooled and uneducated. They were unqualified when they started, but God qualified them. God’s wisdom gave them power and authority far above what education could offer them.
Ready to receive your purpose?
Dear friend, are you ready to receive your purpose today? You don’t have to find it. It was never lost in the first place, and you don’t have to put effort into finding it. Jesus wants to reveal it to you. Your purpose is precious. Please invite Jesus into your life.
You don’t have to go anywhere. You can receive it. Jesus can teach you and guide you. Please hold on to Him. The degree of clarity of your purpose is directly proportional to the element of obedience in your life. We will not receive our purpose on a single sheet of paper. But Jesus will hold our hands and lead us. He will reveal it to us step by step.
Finding your purpose may involve asking God to forgive your past and turning away from your past sins. It would involve absolute surrender and obedience. It would involve humility and an unselfish attitude. It would involve loving what God loves and hatred for what God hates.
Let’s go to the presence of Jesus and ask Him to fill our life today. Invite Jesus into your life. Ask Him to each of you and lead you for the rest of the list. You are created for a great purpose. Let’s pray.
Please place your hand on your heart and call upon the name of Jesus. Pray the below prayer along with us from the bottom of your heart.
Dear Jesus, I come to you with a humble heart. Please come into my life. I need you. Without you, my life has no purpose. You hold my life and its true purpose. You are the author of my life. You knew me before I was born. You hold my future. I thought I had lost my life’s purpose, but through you, I have found my life’s purpose today.
Please forgive all my past mistakes. Wash me with your precious blood. Jesus, you are my hope. You alone can give me hope and future. I believe in you.
Please come into my life. I want to obey you and find a great pleasure in surrendering my life for your great purpose. Please lead me and guide me. Help me to hold on to you all through my life. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
Dear Friend, thanks for being with us today. Jesus loves you. He cares for you dearly. Please continue to hold on to Him. May Jesus bless you and make you a blessing for many keep in touch.
