for a unique-filled purpose...
I'm not really sure how Christmas comes so quickly. Too quickly, really. It never fails, Christmas ends as quickly as it begins, and we're about to head into a new year. A new year full of new surprises. A new year full of twists and turns. A new year full of the unexpected. But a new year full of God's mercies.
I feel like it's all going by too quickly. Too quickly for me to keep up, almost. It's like so many things are happening that I can hardly remember them, which is not the norm for me. And I just want time to slow down a small bit. Enough for me to really soak it up. To really relish in the moment, you know. To live it out completely. Because I realize that these fleeting moments will never return.
That's how 2014 has been. Had you asked me to try and predict how this year would turn out before it began, I wouldn't have been able to get a single prediction right. There were things I was fairly certain would happen that haven't happened. There were things that occurred in which I didn't expect at all. Things I probably wouldn't have thought of on my own. And the other night, as I was cleaning out my night stand, I flipped through some of my old prayer journals. I tell you, those entries are pretty lengthy so I skimmed over certain dates to remind myself of what my heart was feeling at the time. The truth is, I whip out my prayer journals when I have a heavy heart. When something is really weighing on me, I find it easier to write it down. And as I read across an entry from earlier in the year, a phrase stood out to me. I prayed that God's "unique-filled purpose" for my life would become clear. Isn't that what we all want, though? To know our purpose in life?
Well the purpose for the lives of all of God's children is to live in a way that brings honor to his name. But it seems like there has to be more in the way that we do it, you know. And so we want this intentional purpose. A purpose filled life. But filled with what? Filled with success, riches, power, opportunities, children, health, prosperity, relationships, accolades... you get the idea. We want a life of noticeable purpose, but if God didn't have a purpose for you, you wouldn't exist. And so there is a purpose. A unique filled purpose. A purpose tailored just to you. A purpose picked out by God himself. Hand crafted and designed for your life. You're the one who is going to carry it out. The only one because you're the only you. It isn't just a one time thing or a single event. It's a daily task. It's a lifelong plan. It will take every living, breathing day of your life to fulfill God's unique-filled purpose for your life. It will be the mountains, the valleys, the good and the bad. All moments in life set your feet on the path to the unique-filled purpose. Each event, orchestrated by God. Each step, known by Him. A purpose that will bring great joy and fulfillment as you live it out. A purpose that will lead you closer to God and point others to Him as well. It's not going to look like anyone else's. God's got a plan for them, and He's got one for you.
A new year is starting. We'll never get the previous one back. Maybe it went the way you expect, and maybe it didn't. That's okay. None of it was a surprise to God. He knew what 2014 would hold for you, and He knows what 2015 has in store. Your job is to keep moving forward. Keep your eyes looking to the horizon and remember that each day you wake up, there is God's mercy and there is a purpose. A unique-filled purpose for each beloved child of God.
"The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” - Lamentations 3:22-24
I feel like it's all going by too quickly. Too quickly for me to keep up, almost. It's like so many things are happening that I can hardly remember them, which is not the norm for me. And I just want time to slow down a small bit. Enough for me to really soak it up. To really relish in the moment, you know. To live it out completely. Because I realize that these fleeting moments will never return.
That's how 2014 has been. Had you asked me to try and predict how this year would turn out before it began, I wouldn't have been able to get a single prediction right. There were things I was fairly certain would happen that haven't happened. There were things that occurred in which I didn't expect at all. Things I probably wouldn't have thought of on my own. And the other night, as I was cleaning out my night stand, I flipped through some of my old prayer journals. I tell you, those entries are pretty lengthy so I skimmed over certain dates to remind myself of what my heart was feeling at the time. The truth is, I whip out my prayer journals when I have a heavy heart. When something is really weighing on me, I find it easier to write it down. And as I read across an entry from earlier in the year, a phrase stood out to me. I prayed that God's "unique-filled purpose" for my life would become clear. Isn't that what we all want, though? To know our purpose in life?
Well the purpose for the lives of all of God's children is to live in a way that brings honor to his name. But it seems like there has to be more in the way that we do it, you know. And so we want this intentional purpose. A purpose filled life. But filled with what? Filled with success, riches, power, opportunities, children, health, prosperity, relationships, accolades... you get the idea. We want a life of noticeable purpose, but if God didn't have a purpose for you, you wouldn't exist. And so there is a purpose. A unique filled purpose. A purpose tailored just to you. A purpose picked out by God himself. Hand crafted and designed for your life. You're the one who is going to carry it out. The only one because you're the only you. It isn't just a one time thing or a single event. It's a daily task. It's a lifelong plan. It will take every living, breathing day of your life to fulfill God's unique-filled purpose for your life. It will be the mountains, the valleys, the good and the bad. All moments in life set your feet on the path to the unique-filled purpose. Each event, orchestrated by God. Each step, known by Him. A purpose that will bring great joy and fulfillment as you live it out. A purpose that will lead you closer to God and point others to Him as well. It's not going to look like anyone else's. God's got a plan for them, and He's got one for you.
A new year is starting. We'll never get the previous one back. Maybe it went the way you expect, and maybe it didn't. That's okay. None of it was a surprise to God. He knew what 2014 would hold for you, and He knows what 2015 has in store. Your job is to keep moving forward. Keep your eyes looking to the horizon and remember that each day you wake up, there is God's mercy and there is a purpose. A unique-filled purpose for each beloved child of God.
"The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” - Lamentations 3:22-24
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