What Is Our Personal Purpose In Life?

[Nell]

Originally Posted by alwayscurious

So growing up I've always heard about God's eternal purpose, etc, etc.... But never, not once in the LC have I heard about what God wants to do in our life, it's only outside of the LC that I've been hearing about finding our purpose on this Earth. How can we find what God has called us to do on this Earth? What is God's plan for us on an individual level? Is it just to be part of his eternal plan? What about the goals I have in my life, whether professional or personal? Is it not good to fulfill them to the best of my abilities? To strive for the peak? What am I not seeing? Should I not strive to be the best human I can possibly be? At the same time, expressing the virtues of Christ and loving God more and more? does anyone else share my frustration??

alwayscurious,

I think you can find some help to answer your questions in Phillipians 3. The entire chapter.

In Philippians 3:10 Paul says: That I may know him...; The better you know someone, things about them begin to fall into place. It's not about doing the right thing or even finding what the "right thing" is. It's about knowing him and being known by him. Being led in life's most important choices and decisions, by someone you don't know, is frustrating...is it even possible?

If you don't know what he wants...ask him. If you don't get an answer, ask him again. Ask him why he isn't answering you. He may have already told you something he wants from you which is unfulfilled by you. Obey what he has already told you to do. Will he trust you with another "assignment" when you haven't obeyed what he has already told you to do? I know this from personal experience!

The grand and glorious matters of life are not as accessible as obedience in the small things. In the small steps, you grow. As you grow, the steps get bigger and bigger. This is evidenced by Paul's desire, prayer, "That I may know him." The apostle...Paul...the big guy...his desire was to know Christ. I think we should start there. Talk to him like he's a real person.

An interesting result of NOT knowing him:

Matthew 7:22-24
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:


They prophesied in his name, cast out devils (demons), in his name ...many wonderful works; all to no good end. Why? What's wrong with what they did? Nothing really. These were wonderful works. Except, they acted on their own, without his leading, and he called these wonderful works "iniquity". In these wonderful works, they didn't get to know him...or likely, they acted on their own volition. They might have worked differently in their lives, had they known him and obeyed him. The same goes for us. We can't figure out the answers to these questions without first knowing him, and more importantly, being known by him.

We were conditioned by Lee to believe that there is some bigger, better, faster goal of the Christian life and the other guys are fallen and degraded. We got into a lot of trouble following Lee's grand and glorious "ministry". I think this may be among Lee's most damaging, misleading teachings...making the Christian life about Lee and his "ministry." Making us dependant on Lee for interpretation, instead of a walk with God.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is simple: Matt. 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Jesus may be feeling a bit ignored...

I hope this helps--
Nell

[aron]

Originally Posted by Nell

Obey what he has already told you to do. Will he trust you with another "assignment" when you haven't obeyed what he has already told you to do?

To me this is "Part 1" of the answer. You already have an assignment. You already have a mother, father, siblings, extended family, people nearby, childhood friends etc. Your assignment is to bring them love. Let them know someone out there cares about them, respects them, appreciates them. Just listen. Do some small favour. Just go a tiny bit out of your way to be a blessing to their day. Not with ulterior purpose, to "get them saved" or "to come into the church" or whatever. Just meet them where they are, give them the love and respect they need today. Basic stuff, really, but vastly overlooked and forgotten in today's pell-mell me-first world.

Originally Posted by OBW

... it says that the most important commandment is in two parts:

• Love the Lord your God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength
• Love your neighbor as yourself.

This two-part commandment is said to sum up the whole of the law and prophets. That means that if you really do this, you will live a life that is salt and light to the world. That is righteous. That is slow to anger and quick to forgive. That would not slander another to hide your own failure but speak the truth.

And "love your neighbor as yourself" does not mean "tough love." I bet you don't love yourself that way.

I know that God has a purpose. And because he is eternal, you can call that purpose eternal. But when a God with a host of worshippers creates an environment for a new creature, man, to inhabit, and then sends him to take care of that environment while only coming to talk with him for part of each day, I begin to wonder how we are supposed to assume that the purpose was to become people who simply spend all day declaring "Holy, holy, holy, . . ." It looks like we got sidetracked.

And Part 2 is this, to ask God how you can serve others. That is the key. How can you pour something of yourself out into the world, with no thought of return, so that your reward in heaven is great? Do you understand what I mean - like, how can I be defrauded of my life, pour it out on some worthy mission, to really "love my neighbour" as God wants me to?

If you do, you will find the Holy Spirit meeting you there. And He will guide you every step of the way home. It is the most fantastic journey, beyond all human will and wish. It's not "magic", it's better. It's God.

Now, all this isn't to say that I've laid hold of this. Rather, what little and feeble that I have bumped into it, has been so incredibly satisfying. Like OBW says, Where's the promised transformation of "Just keep eating and drinking"? Where's the wonderful life that supposedly follows PSRP of HWMR every day?

But if you orient not to "me" but "me serving others" the whole thing changes, in the twinkling of an eye (cf 1 Cor 15:52 KJV)