Purpose

Purpose. The fuel in the engine, the dream in the distance. Purpose is the circumference of the entire journey. It will give you energy. Often times it's created out of where you've been and it becomes who you are. Purpose is the ingredient in life that is as vital as air and water. Without it, all life is in vain. One quote worth sharing really attests to this. It's by someone relatively famous, you may have heard her name before. She was known as Joan of Arc. (ok, so I really hope you actually do know who she is). :)

As she was being burned alive... these were her dying words:

"Every man gives his life for what he believes, and every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing, and yet they give their lives to that little or nothing. One life is all we have. We live it and it's gone. But to live without belief is more terrible than dying. Even more terrible than dying young."

A lot of people have it backwards. I have most of my life too. People tend to see purpose as a goal worth accomplishing; a task needing to be fulfilled. Rather, as Christians, than seeing purpose as a victory we are working from, we see it as something we are working towards.

As I have the view that all people will be saved, I have the belief that victory is done. Christ already won, humanity is already saved, and God's will is already fulfilled. This idea of living with purpose comes through in many lights. From an evangelism perspective, it comes through in that since the victory is already won, I no longer evangelize in hope that I will be successful, knowing I have a limited amount of time. I evangelize knowing I will be successful because God has already won! I am now free to be His hands and feet and share His love with those around. Work from Jesus' victory, rather than for it.

Another light to shed this view in, is the idea that I can now live with a purpose that extends beyond this life. Use the victory we have in Jesus to create an eternal legacy that will live on beyond this world, rather than waiting to be raptured and escape this world. Instead of waiting to escape, I labor, with God, in the world He's given us, to fulfill the plan that is already decidedly complete. What a wonderful life! What a wonderful joy! What a wonderful God.

With a 3000ft view, then, of living with purpose, I delve deeper. How does this look? What plans for me does God have to manifest this? Where can I show His love and glory? How can I play a part in bringing His justice? This is where the journey lies.

Whatever your view, I know you must believe you have a purpose. Here is the challenge. Flip your view 180 degrees. Instead of working for victory, realize that you already have salvation, and a sovereign, loving God. Realize that no matter what, you are going to spend eternity with the Savior you love. And work from that victory to create a life that makes sense in the light of eternity. Don't work for victory. Work from it.

I must thank my friend and mentor Brad for helping me grab ahold of that concept. It is definitely a paradigm shift. I also found Rob Bell's new book "Love Wins" very encouraging in that light. He talks about living with that kind of a purpose in a way that brings so much clarity and joy to life.

In His love, I am learning and growing, and working from victory.
Rebekah