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Purpose that Brings Meaning to Life.
As
human beings, we can survive almost any 'how' if we have a 'why'! No matter our
circumstances — or your particular circumstances, dear brother or sister — we
know glory awaits. Between now and glory, God has a purpose for us, no matter
where we find ourselves. God longs for us to know that he will go with us in
our struggles. God wants us to know that no matter how difficult our struggles
may be, our lives still have purpose and meaning, both now and eternally. Our
Father will accomplish something out of messes for our good, his glory, and
someone else's salvation.
by
James Nored & Phil Ware
Finding
My Story in God's Story
"The lesson one could learn from Auschwitz, and in other
concentration camps, in the final analysis was, those who were oriented toward
a meaning — toward a meaning to be fulfilled by them in the future — were most
likely to survive" [beyond the dehumanizing suffering and brutal
senselessness of the holocaust]. — Viktor Frankl
The apostle Paul said it this way:
“I consider that our
present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed
in us”
- (Romans
8:18).
Paul survived many difficult challenges in
his life.
Some included anguish for being involved in
persecuting the early church and supervising the stoning of Stephen (1 Timothy 1:12-14).
Other challenges had to do with painful
suffering and abuse he endured — hardship through shipwrecks, financial hard
times, and physical afflictions (2 Corinthians 11:23-27; Philippians 4:11-13).
He would eventually face martyrdom (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
No matter the mountains in the way, no matter
the severity of his suffering, no matter the difficulty of the challenges, Paul
faced them with purpose because he knew his life had meaning in Jesus!
How did he survive these ordeals and keep
going?
Where did the old apostle find such
resiliency in the face of such stiff opposition?
How did Paul tap into such persevering
strength that allowed him to persevere to his end?
Paul looked forward to a bright future with
Jesus beyond this life (2
Corinthians 5:1-8; 2 Timothy 4:6-8).
He was confident that when his life was over
on earth, Jesus was waiting to welcome him into his presence: until then, he
knew God had important work for him to do (Philippians 1:19-26).
While he waited for the eventual end of his
life, Paul lived passionately to fulfill his calling from God. Paul believed
that his life had meaning after his earthly life ended.
He also trusted that God had a purpose for
his life while he was still alive.
Viktor Frankl, in his epic book, Man's Search
for Meaning, suggested that we, as human beings, can survive almost any
"how" if we have a "why"!
We can endure almost anything if our lives
have meaning and purpose!
James Nored reminds us of that important truth
in this week's video as he challenges us to find our meaning and purpose in
God:
Turn captions on/off by clicking CC on the
bottom of the video player screen. View video online.
God knew you before you were a flutter in
your mother's womb.
In Psalm 139, David talks about God being
present in every dimension and time in our lives.
He specifically talks about when our life
began and when God first filled our existence with his purpose and meaning:
“For you created my
inmost being;
you knit me together in
my mother’s womb.
I praise you because
I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are
wonderful,
I know that full
well.
My frame was not
hidden from you
when I was made in
the secret place,
when I was woven
together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my
unformed body;
all the days ordained
for me were written in your book
before one of them
came to be” -
(Psalm 139:13-16).
God knew you before your mom felt you as a
flutter in her womb or knew you as the person inside the bump on her belly.
God has known you even from before your
conception.
Your Father in heaven had a plan and purpose
for you.
That plan and purpose wasn't a rigid program
you had to fulfill, but an opportunity to embrace.
That purpose was designed to give you meaning
and a reason to persevere no matter what life can throw at you.
And, that same God has known you since you
were reborn in his family (John
3:3-7; Titus 3:3-7).
That new birth has given you a living hope —
the expectation that something, your holy Someone, is awaiting you beyond this
life (1
Peter 1:3-9).
No matter what you face in this life, God can
reach into the middle of the mess and fashion something good out of it to
accomplish his purpose for you and bring you to your eternal good (Romans 8:28).
That truth is as valid for you as it was for
his Son. Jesus' life, suffering, and death were not wasted (Romans 8:29).
As for you, when you confessed Christ and
were baptized, your life was joined with Jesus' life. The living and eternal
part of you was hidden with him in God, awaiting Jesus' glorious return when we
will share in that same glory (Colossians 2:12, 3:1-4).
We have no idea where you are in your walk
with God. Our readers come from all ages, races, and many different cultures.
Some are enjoying life and are experiencing
boundless joy. Others are suffering from persecution and oppression.
Still others are dealing with life's almost
unbearable realities because of a broken world or failing bodies or unspeakable
grief.
Above the circumstances, however, we all must
embrace that God has a purpose for us that is greater than our joy or our pain.
The meaning of our life is in following Jesus
in both the transfiguration where he was glorious and in the cross when he
endured abandonment, ridicule, torture, humiliation, and death.
No matter our circumstances — or your
particular circumstances, dear brother or sister — we know glory awaits.
Between now and glory, God has a purpose for
us, no matter where we find ourselves.
That doesn't mean he wants us to be in the
painful, awful, challenging situations of our broken world alone.
God longs for us to know that he will go with
us in our struggles.
God wants us to know that no matter how
difficult our struggles may be, our lives still have purpose and meaning, both
now and eternally.
Our Father will accomplish something out of
messes for our good, his glory, and someone else's salvation.
How do I know?
I know because of what God did with Jesus'
painful challenges.
Jesus is our older brother — the one who has
gone before us as our example and pioneer (Hebrews 2:10-18).
Jesus endured what he did so that we could be
sure that we would never be abandoned in our journey of faith (Romans 8:32-39).
As God's children, our Father will not waste
our suffering and tears, any more than he wasted our old brother Paul's
suffering and tears.
Our lives are lived for his purpose, and this
gives each of our lives enduring meaning.
Hopefully, we can join the apostle Paul in
saying with confidence:
“Not that I have
already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on
to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and
sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I
do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on
toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in
Christ Jesus.”
-
(Philippians 3:12-14).
In
this series, James Nored and Phil Ware partner two pioneering
ministries providing resources to reach coming generations. James is
a minister, Executive Director of Next Generation for Christ, and author of the
Story of Redemption Film Series, filmed in the Israel, U.S., and around the
world. This series is designed to lead seekers to faith and strengthen the
faith of believers. Divided into 5-6 minute video segments, it is great to use
with social media, small groups, sermon series, families, and friends. Phil is
President of Heartlight, Inc., a preacher for 40 years, author of five books
along with hundreds of articles & 11 years of daily devotionals, coach for
churches in transition, and a resource for missionary renewal. Phil's
verseoftheday.com devotionals are read by hundreds of thousands every day.
Heartlight
Provides Positive Resources for Daily Christian Living.
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