A purpose for life.

John had been in an alcohol recovery program for over am month. Even
though he had quit drinking, his past demons still haunted him. He
now had to look at his life and face the challenges without the
alcohol. He had to discover his life's purpose and figure out what
to do with his life. This terrified him. It terrified him because he
was not sure what the purpose of his life was. He had allowed the
alcohol to control his life. Now, he had to face life without it.
During a meeting with his support group, he cried out; "I don't
know what my purpose in life is!" There are many people who have
struggled with this. Many people have found themselves saying the
very same thing. "I don't know what my purpose is!"

A motivational speaker asked this question; "What is the richest
place on earth?" He then said; "The cemetery. It is full of people
with unfulfilled dreams and goals." Is there a purpose for our lives?
Do we live our lives with purpose, or do we just exist? Do you have
dreams and goals that you'd like to work towards? Is there a purpose
for life, and if so, how do we discover it? How do we make meaning
out of our lives and follow our dreams?

There are people who spend their entire lives trying to understand
their purpose in life. Some figure it out. There are others who
ask: "Why am I here? What is my purpose?" What steps do people
take to discover their potential? Every person has potential and
promise. Each person has been blessed by the Creator with gifts
and talents that are to be discovered, developed, and used.
How do people find their gift and their purpose? For each person,
the process is different. The truth is; each person has potential
and a purpose. The challenge is discovering our gifts and how
best to use our God-given gifts.

There are people who struggle with finding meaning and purpose
for their lives. They've had many setbacks and struggles in
their lives. They may have been put down by others and been
told that they're losers. Their self-esteem has been crushed,
and they might see their lives as a waste. Some people believe
that they'll amount to anything so they fall into the pit of
substance abuse, or they run with a bad crowd, and this leads
to other self-destructive behavior.

The journey through this life is not always easy, and certainly
there will be those times when people will doubt their self worth.
The world can be a harsh place and fitting in according to it's
standards can be frustrating. If we follow the opinions and attitudes
of the world, then it will be hard to find lasting purpose
and meaning for life.

GOD'S PLAN AND PURPOSE

Someone might ask: "Does God care about me? What is his purpose for me?"
The answer to these questions is this; God does care for each
one of us, and he does have a purpose for us. He knows and directs
the course of our lives. He will show the purposes for each and
everyone of us. God does have a plan and purpose for you. You
might not see it at the time, but be patient, God will make
it all clear in his own time.

As we think about God's plan and purpose, let us look to the
Scriptures. In his dealings with the children of Israel, God
often told them of his plans for them. Even though they were
often rebellious, God still had a plan and a purpose for them.

In Jeremiah 29:11, God declared;

"For I Know the thoughts that
I think towards you, say the Lord, thoughts of peace
and not evil, to give you future and a hope."

God knows without a doubt what he has in store for us. He
knows his thoughts towards us. These thoughts are for our
welfare and blessing. He does not seek to harm us. He wants
us to have peace. This is a lasting peace that comes
through faith in Christ.

God wants to give us hope. This was the theme of a recent
presidential campaign. There was much said about restoring
hope. Yet this is a worldly hope that is uncertain.
Christian hope is certain; it is built upon Jesus Christ.
He is the one who gives peace and lasting hope. He is the
one who gives life both meaning and purpose.

God wants to give us a future. We do not know what the future
holds. We do know whose hand is leading and guiding us. The
future of the believer is with Jesus in eternity. Each day
is a day to walk in the Lord. The believer's purpose for
each day is to love and to serve the Lord.

Those who trust in the Lord Jesus know that at the end of the
journey, there will be a glorious future with him. Jesus
opened the Kingdom of heaven through his death and resurrection.
This blessed knowledge strengthens faith, and helps us to
press on as we discover our purpose here on earth. God's
plan and purpose for each of us will come to pass. Through
faith in Jesus Christ, we can have hope in this life, and
a glorious future in the life to come.

WHAT THEN, IS OUR PURPOSE?

This is still a question that people ask. Some still want to
know what their purpose is. God created us to live to him
and to serve him. He created us to be of service to each other.
Believers are to remember that they have been saved and redeemed
by Christ Jesus. Each believer has been blessed by the Holy
Spirit with gifts to be of service to Christ and to others.

There is both a purpose and meaning to our lives. Nobody is
a "loser" or is "washed up." People have promise and potential
that needs to be discoverd, developed, and used. Once you
discover and develop your God-given talents, then you'll
see that life does have meaning. Christ Jesus is the one
who gives a purpose for life.

-Michael Carter

For the collection-"Pressing on in hope."