It\u2019s every person\u2019s conscious belief that their existence on earth must have some meaningful purpose.\u00a0 I am yet to hear, convincingly, someone declaring their existence as a purposeless mistake. Unless such despondency is expressed in the context of one\u2019s hopelessness, due to the unbearable pressures in life.\u00a0 Sadly, it\u2019s such despondency in life that has led some to give up and choose to take their own life.\u00a0 This is always a very unfortunate development.\u00a0 There\u2019s a better way!<\/p>\n
Let me encourage someone that, in spite of the sometimes challenging circumstances in life, you were created, and you exist, for a special and unique divine purpose, \u201cI praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well\u201d <\/em>(Ps. 139:14).\u00a0 Discovering that overarching purpose of your life will help you successfully navigate the path of life, and consequently, break into your life\u2019s purpose.<\/p>\n Saul, who later was called Paul, a former member of Israel\u2019s legislature called the Sanhedrin, the highest Council of the Jews, experienced a rediscovery of his purpose in life.\u00a0 According to the biblical account in Philippians 3:12-15, Paul shows us that even though he may have successfully served in Israel\u2019s legislative branch of government, he eventually rediscovered the core and special purpose of his life, which required him to consider two important factors:<\/p>\n The first important realization Paul had was that, even though he had been a very successful and highly qualified member of the highest council in Israel, and had observed the requirements of someone considered to be a respected teacher of the law, a Pharisee of Pharisees, he says, \u201c\u2026Forgetting what is behind<\/strong> and straining toward what is ahead<\/strong>\u2026\u201d<\/em> (Phil. 3:13b).\u00a0 The words to note here are \u201cbehind\u201d meaning the past; and \u201cahead\u201d meaning the future.\u00a0 I call this \u201cthe battle between one\u2019s past and their future possibilities.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Change experts have said that one of the major hindrances to accepting change, is a sense of contentment in the current status, or when someone has a deep desire to maintain the status quo.\u00a0 People have even resisted progressive or positive change, because they have certain factors in their current status that give them a sense of security.\u00a0 In order for someone to embrace positive change in their life, they ought to reach a state of discontentment and displeasure with their current status.<\/p>\n This principle applies almost to anything that will move from one state of quality to a better or improved quality.\u00a0 For a product that\u2019s been on the market for a while, if not improved, it begins to lose its appeal or luster.\u00a0 Therefore, manufacturers continue to seek for ways to improve their products.\u00a0 Manufacturers ought to reach a high state of discontent with the current quality of their products, in order for them to come up with better and improved quality products.<\/p>\n One thing for sure is that in life, we are always moving out of our past and are ever entering into our future.\u00a0 The question to answer is whether our inevitable and unstoppable progression from our past into our future, is considered a change for the better.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n I once was a young boy, who graced the tough streets of a high density compound called Kamuchanga, in Mufulira, Zambia.\u00a0 Today, I am a grown man, a husband, a father of three grown sons, and now a grandfather.\u00a0 This is definitely moving out of my past and ever entering into my future, which continues on and on, until the Lord calls me home.\u00a0 The question I have to ask myself is whether my life\u2019s movement from my past into my future is characterized as being lived in my core purpose or it\u2019s been a life of stagnation, while biologically and existentially moving in time.<\/p>\n Going back to Paul\u2019s personal experience, he rediscovered his core purpose, firstly by properly realigning himself with his Creator, God, whom he served based on incomplete understanding.\u00a0 In his new life\u2019s foundation of faith in God, through Christ Jesus, with enlightened understanding, he uncovered his life\u2019s purpose as an apostle to the gentile world.\u00a0 Paul, armed with his new perspective in life, based on his personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, he realized that with his accomplishments as a superbly qualified member of the Jewish highest council, and an ardent Legal advocate of Judaism, he needed to untangle himself from that past contentment and delve or reach into his newly discovered purpose in Christ.\u00a0 He decided not to be proudly held back by what he had so far considered his hallmark of being a great Rabi and an accomplished Pharisee.\u00a0 He was now going to press forward and break into his God-ordained purpose in life.<\/p>\n Paul resolved, \u201c\u2026straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize\u2026\u201d <\/em>(Phil. 3:13c-14a).\u00a0 Something in this man who had much to boast about, \u201c\u2026if anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless,\u201d<\/em> (Phil. 3:4b-6), resisted the temptation to be stagnated by such past accomplishments.\u00a0 He reached forward, and pressed toward the goal he had discovered for his life in Christ.<\/p>\n Let me hasten to allay some general concerns.\u00a0 I am no proposing a disdain and dismissal of one\u2019s past or even current achievements in life.\u00a0 We are and should be inspired by our past achievements, but should fervently be ever striving for better things ahead, as we live out our purpose in life, as God intents for us to be.<\/p>\n This kind of perspective or life\u2019s attitude, which celebrates past or current achievements, but is never completely content with the now, but reaches for improved and better prospects ahead, through God\u2019s help, to become what God has purposed for one\u2019s life, defies numbing effects of being fixated on past achievements.<\/p>\n For your business or career to improve, you need to vigorously break beyond the familiar.\u00a0 It\u2019s the familiar that will keep you satisfied with the status quo; and inevitably robe you of the possibilities that are in your future.<\/p>\n The above reference to Paul\u2019s resolve to press toward his future prospects and possibilities in Christ, was his point of departure into the great successes of his latter life, that at the end of his life, he was able to affirmatively say, \u201cI have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith\u201d<\/em> (2 Tim. 4:7).<\/p>\n Here are some few closing thoughts:<\/strong><\/p>\n If Abraham had feared attempting to follow his new prospects in life, history would not have recorded him as the father of the faithful, \u201cBy faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going<\/strong>\u201d<\/em> (Heb. 11:9).<\/p>\n If Moses, who was magnificently blessed as royalty in Pharaoh\u2019s Palace, had remained satisfied with his status as a Prince, which was an enviable position; Israel would have remained in slavery to the Egyptian Government.\u00a0 But he became the liberator of Israel, \u201cBy faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh\u2019s daughter.\u00a0 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.\u00a0 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward\u201d<\/em> (Heb. 11:24-26).<\/p>\n It\u2019s every person\u2019s conscious belief that their existence on earth must have some meaningful purpose.\u00a0 I am yet to hear, convincingly, someone […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-devotions"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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