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YOU ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT.
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10)>
Many people go through life feeling discouraged about themselves and thinking they do not have a purpose in life. But that's not true. Whoever you are—whatever your life experiences, talents, physical ability, or role—you have a purpose. You can make a difference, your life counts!
Let's take a look at one favorite verse in the Bible:
“For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:1).
Notice two points in this verse:
- God created you. You are not an accident.
- God has a plan for you. You have a purpose in life.
Let us meditate and discuss these points.
You are created by God:
Have you ever pondered the fact that you are not a bi-product of a process intended for another purpose? Do you believe that every child conceived and born was specifically crafted by the fingers of God? (Jer 1:5) Do you know that your creation was not delegated to an angel; rather, God thought out your design and executed it by Himself (Is 43:7). If we really appreciate this reality, we would definitely have less to complain about. You can not be better created for the intention God had in mind for you. This implies that you can not fall short of your purpose in life simply because of your look, physical ability or disability or mental intelligence, You did not just happen to be what you are, you have to accept that you are in the best mould for your purpose in life; no mistake!
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God has a plan for you:
It is refreshing to know that God had a purpose in mind in advance of your creation. You are not created for fun. Therefore, you should not be stranded in life searching for what to do. In creating us, God has both a general purpose and a specific purpose.
General Purpose:
• You are created to know God: One purpose in life is to get close to God. This you can only do through Jesus Christ.
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
“If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10).
• You are created for to glorify God in this world.
“Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:6-7).
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• You are created to praise and worship God.
“All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O lord; they will bring glory to your name” (Psalm 86:9).
“I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever” (Psalm 86:12).
• You are created to grow and exhibit the fruit of the Spirit as evidence of conforming to the image and character of Christ.
The type of person you become is more important than your successes and failures in the world.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)”.
• You are created to spread the Gospel: One purpose in life is to tell others about Jesus' love for them.
“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples” (Psalm 96:3).
“Make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted” (Isaiah 12:4).
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).
• You are created to use the talents God gave you. God expects you to develop the gifts He gave you. Do not minimize your role.
“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:4-8).
In order for you to effectively use your talent you must:
o Overcome jealousy or bitterness: Don't be upset if you do not have a place of prominence, for, as you read in the above verse, God gives special honor to people with "less honorable" roles.
o Do not downplay the value of what you do: Don't compare yourself to others or give up if someone seems to do a better job than you. Of course there are others who have more talent! If all the evangelists or witnesses or teachers in the world decided to stop trying because someone else did a better job, where would we be?
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o What counts is that you be faithful. God reward faithfulness not just fullness. Study Matthew 25:14-30.
Specific purpose.
Discovering ones specific purpose in life can be likened to a secondary school student who is mandated to do several subjects until he discovers his/her area of strength and then decide to specialize along the line of science, arts or commercial. Also like a medical student who undertakes postings in the different specialties of medicine until he/she can decide on a specialty interest. So as Christians are we able to determine our specific purpose in life if and only when we have deployed our potentials along the general purpose discussed above.
Read Romans 12: 1-2 and Ephesians 1:15-18
Life is boring when it is lived purposelessly. In discovering your purpose, life becomes an adventure and must be lived as such. Following, we shall discuss how to live life as an adventure. You can apply this attitude in line of your personal goal, vision, ministry or purpose in life.
Do any of these describe you?