Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Learning On Purpose- a Journey #1

Many of us can become confused about our purpose.  We hear that God has a purpose for us and He planned it from the foundations of the earth, before we were formed in our mother’s womb.  We understand that, and when we get a clue about it, we search, and search and search… sometimes wonder if God forgot about us.  The truth is NO, He has not forgotten you.  Discovering and walking in our purpose is not as easy as some of us have heard.   See the discovery phase can last a lot longer than we have been told, our purpose does not just ‘show up’ one day and then we walk in it.  Discovering and walking in purpose happens as we go. We find things that work, we eliminate things that don't, because It is a journey, not a destination.  And as we go, we should be learning.  God does not waste any experience we have, with every job we work on, every relationship encounter, every ministry opportunity, we should lean something that connects to our purpose. 

THREE THINGS YOU LEARN ON PURPOSE


I was talking myself through the life of Joseph and how he discovered his purpose.  If you recall the story, he started off with simple dreams.  He was already created by God with a purpose, but he knew nothing outside his life  experiences until the dreams came.  His parents didn’t allow him to do the hard work that the others did, but he learned numbers other administrative type things that there was not much use for at home.  But his  dreams got him excited about doing something different, he had no clue what it might be, but he was excited enough to talk about it.  As the story goes, his brothers didn’t like his preferential treatment so he winds up sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, accused of rape by his bosses wife, and in prison helping guards.  After getting out of prison at the Pharaoh’s request, he ends up ruling second in command in a land he was not born in.  At the end of the story,  he is able to use some of those things he learned and he brings provision to the land and ultimately saves them all and his family too.

While looking over his journey, it brought me to three areas that I believe we will need to learn on our own purpose  journey.  Many areas you may have already experienced, but sometimes it makes more sense when we think of it in context.   The first area we learn about is

#1 LEARN GOD


To be affective in our purpose, we need to first know God.  How can we walk in what He put in us, if we don’t acknowledge Him first?  After all, He did promise to direct our paths if we did.  Knowing God is key, because anything He calls us to do, will not go the opposite of Himself.  He will not call us to hurt or abuse others, even when He calls us to correct or rebuke someone, it will always be to reconcile them to Himself.  God will always undergird our assignments with LOVE, because that is what He is.  So, the more we know Him, the more we set boundaries that can help us to be successful at what He has called us to do.  

If you are on a purpose journey and you don't know God, or maybe you are not actively learning and seeking ways to know Him and His ways, that is going to be the first key for you.  God does not want to to know what to do, more than He wants us to know Him.  The bible says how can two walk together except they agree?  We have to know that also works for us agreeing and walking with God.  Many are pursuing purpose apart from God, but there is still a lonely place that needs to be filled once they find what it is.   To get where you need to be whole, will require the one who made you.  Before looking so hard at what you are to Do in this life, think and pray, talk to the one you will ultimately DO IT FOR.  Connect with God!  



Join us next week as we uncover the second area we need to learn as take this  purpose journey!

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