Monday, August 20, 2012

Don’t Get it Twisted! Part 2

There is a story about a man who needed direction so he asked God to speak to him. He shuts his eyes, opens his Bible and reads the first passage of scripture upon which his eyes fall.

“Judas went out and hanged himself.”

Okay, he thinks. Let’s try this again. So, he closes his eyes, flips open the Bible and reads…

“Go, and do thou likewise.”

Wait a minute. Maybe the third time’s a charm? Lord, I need you to speak to me. He reads…

“That thou doest, do quickly.”

The moral of this story? God does not do random. The message will not contradict His will. His plans are precise. Even His purpose for your life.

In Don’t Get it Twisted, Part 1, we briefly discussed God’s original divine order for humanity. Today, we expand on how the spirit, soul and body drive us toward purpose.

Feed the Spirit
You have God’s attention because you asked a question He has been waiting to answer. Now, allow God to lead you on a purposeful path.

If you do not know your life’s purpose, take time to ask God through fellowship and by feeding your spirit with His Word. Meditate on God’s word to hear what He has to say.

If you already know, ask the Lord for spiritual guidance towards fulfillment. His Spirit will speak to your spirit. Not through audible expressions, necessarily. Something ignites a strong emotion within.

For example, you read an article about an uptick in poverty statistics in the U.S. and want to help the poor. Another nursing home is cited for abusive practices toward the elderly and you want to become an advocate. Whatever the cause, you have identified a purpose that is connected with a burning desire for fulfillment.

For me? My God-given purpose is service through developing comprehensive and integrated programs that enable economically disadvantaged individuals to improve their quality of life. Also, my passion for writing expresses another purpose as God anoints my hand to write.

A drive and determination will begin to blossom when your spirit has connected with the Spirit of God concerning your destiny. Once the seed is planted, the only thing that can stop your growth is a lack of watering and gardening. 

Nurture the Soul 
Fulfilling your life’s purpose is a journey where things are revealed – and where things happen. However, there are times when those things seem to contradict everything that you have come to know about God’s purpose for your life.

You say, “Well, Lord. If You called me to do that, why am I going through this?” Nevertheless, God will continue to orchestrate His purpose path for your life, even when you vacillate. 

Oh, how many times did these ‘life experiences’ cause me to move my hand from the plow!!! 

Nurturing the soul aligns emotions and thoughts to the seed God planted in your spirit. By definition, nurture is taking special care towards the growth and development of something.

A malnourished soul lives in fear, negativity and uncertainty. Alternatively, a well-nourished soul responds to faith, positivity and the certainty in knowing who directs your path.

Something must rise up within when faced with challenges to your reason for being. That something is called determination. See life’s challenges as stepping stones, rather than obstacles, towards fulfilling God’s purpose. 

Body Works 
Seeking our life’s purpose through a faulty paradigm often comes from being led by the body’s desire. Remember this order: body, soul, spirit? This could cause you to miss your true life’s purpose when efforts are made to please the body first, rather than feeding the Spirit, which guides the soul’s desire to a God-ordained purpose in life.

Even when I have tried to do something else because of discouragement, timing, etc., I kept returning to the place where God had ordered my steps. Sometimes kicking and screaming. Other times, humbly acknowledging that I cannot leave this earth before God’s purpose in me is fulfilled.

As you continue on the purposeful path, you will begin to see what God sees. You begin to believe in your purpose. Under submission, you will the will of God for your life – through action. This vision helps you to channel what you do into purposeful works.

Follow God’s order of spirit, soul, body with skill and single-mindedness, and you will – without apologies – tenaciously pursue your life’s purpose. Anything that stands in the way will be mowed down like tall weeds. 

These Three are One 
God has created everything, including you, with purpose. He did not suspend the sun, moon, and stars in mid air, telling them to shine on their own. He did not cause water and land to appear out of nothingness and leave each to its own means of survival. He did not place the beast in the field, the fowls in the air, and the creatures in the sea to exist without His knowledge.

Know this: I am determined to successfully fulfill my life’s purpose, knowing there is something for me to do that is greater than myself.

I persevere through personal and professional challenges that equip me to continue this journey. My starts and stops do not change God’s mind concerning me, my purpose and the people I am called to serve on this earth. 

Likewise, you have a purposeful journey to complete. Let go and allow fear to fail while you succeed. Ask God to connect you to the right people, at the right time, for the right purpose.


 The purpose of life is a life of purpose. Robert Byrne