IfYouGiveAMindensenABlog

This morning I went to church and listened to a message, by Pastor Robert Douglas, titled, "Do Something Passionately". It is part of a "Do Something: Make Your Life Count!" series, and it got me thinking...

Did you know that you were created with a purpose? That God has a plan for you? And how do we move from feeling OBLIGATED to JOYFULLY serving?

I think that part of it is recognizing that we have a purpose, but what I was learning about today was that we also have to learn to 'DELIGHT in the PLEASURE of our purpose'. Just as there is a 'sweet spot' in playing a sport or instrument, there is a 'sweet spot' to living, and that's right in the middle of God's Will. There is NO better feeling than KNOWING what I'm doing at a particular moment is what God wants me to do. It feels good, there is an unexplainable JOY in living my life God's way.
Not to say that there won't be any hard times, but God is working in the moments, we just have to 'DISCOVER the POWER of our perseverance'. Romans 5:1-5 says "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we REJOICE in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also REJOICE in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance,character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us." If we believe in Jesus, we have the assurance of God's presence and plan, and GOODNESS...and ultimately Heaven. We aren't living for this world, but the next because of what Jesus did for us. That hope pulls us through the tough times, and ALSO God doesn't just leave us by ourselves to face the tough times alone, he gives us the Holy Spirit, who fills us with the POWER we need to overcome, and that is something to REJOICE about.
Finally, we have to 'DISCIPLINE the PRIORITIES of our possibilities'. We can't just have HOPE we also have to have the discipline to recognize what God is doing in our lives, and to recognize that even though what we are going through right now may not be fun, sometimes God uses those tough times to teach us something important, we just have to be open to hearing it/ accepting it. Than we will be able to reach our fuller potential. Discipline rarely FEELS GOOD, but "afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way" (Hebrews 12:11b)
Don't miss out on the abundant life God wants to give you. GO! Spend time with Him; Find out what His purpose is for you; Get passionate about it; Be empowered, and inspired by Him; Trust Him; Learn from Him; Seek Him; Abide in Him; Grow in Him; Obey Him; LOVE Him... Jesus said in John 15:9-11 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now REMAIN in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy my be in you and that YOUR JOY MAY BE COMPLETE". God is GOOD! ♥