Sunday, August 13, 2017

Created, Chosen, and Called for a Purpose

Your thumbprint testifies that you are a one-of-a-kind human being. Have you ever celebrated your uniqueness? Or have you doubted it? Or maybe feared it? Or felt alone because of it?


Psalm 139 is one of my absolute favorite passages. Probably because it reminds me that we are wonderfully complex individuals. I get excited pondering how David was compelled to praise God in verse 14 saying, “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” God’s workmanship is us! And we should give praise to Him for the incredible, marvelous, complex way we are designed.


Treasuring ourselves is so difficult. If you’re like me you may have been taught to be humble. To let others sing your praises.



How do you practice valuing yourself when no one seems to notice who you are? Our brains are wired for connection with others. We care more deeply about what others think than what we think at times. Belonging is one of the core desires of our soul. We long to feel wanted. To feel a part of the club.
Even in the dailiness of life we aim for alikeness, doing the exact same thing day after day, work, school, Instagram, Facebook, emails, eat, sleep, repeat. The routine of life seems daunting at times. And it’s stressful to the mind. Facebook makes us envious, Instagram makes us hungry, and email keeps us working long hours. But our Designer handcrafted us for a greater purpose. A more unique purpose. My friend and music producer, Mervin Budram MD, says that “Knowing your identity is very important, however, knowing your life purpose is equally important as it charts out the road you're to take on this journey through life.”


In fact Merv feels so strongly about our purpose in life that he wrote a song about it.



And his song got me to thinking more about my purpose so I decided I needed to spend some time meditating on the word ‘purpose.’ I believe that we will comprehend the real meaning of our role on this planet when we recognize and embrace the purpose for which we were created, chosen, and called to fulfill. We will honor God in all that we do, bring Him glory through embracing all that we are created to be, when we wholeheartedly engage in living out our purpose.


We are Created for a Purpose
When we lived in Russia I crocheted quite a bit. I’m out of practice now but while we were in a colder climate I regularly made hats, scarves, and even sweaters. Each item I created was carefully planned. I made things to go with an outfit in mind, or a special event coming up, or as a gift. Each masterpiece had an intended purpose. In Ephesians 2:10 we read that each individual is a masterpiece of God, created anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things that He has planned for us. We were created with His purpose for us in mind.


We are Chosen for a Purpose
I’ve heard many people quote the passage about us being a chosen people from 1 Peter 2:9. It goes on to say, “You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” Because of who we are in Christ we are chosen to show others the goodness of God! Our lives when lived according to His plan glorifies and praises Him. What an incredible reason to live life to fullest and use each gift He graciously crafted within us.




We are Called for a Purpose
Often a look at Romans 8:28 is about trying to make sense of the painful and chaotic things that happen in life. I first heard this passage when we were grieving the stillbirth of our first child. (And just for the record that is not a good scripture to quote for someone who has just lost a baby.)


As we try to find light in the darkness of our lives we want some good to come out of the trial we are facing. And yet, I believe the last part of the verse is what reveals the priceless treasure in the passage. “Those who love God and are called according to His purpose”...that brings my struggles into perspective. I don’t have to worry or fret, or scheme or plan, He will make sense of it all because it’s a part of my calling. Because my calling is according to His purpose He will never waste a hurt or a trial that I face. He will use it to encourage, strengthen, inspire, or embolden someone else.


Our lives are our testimony of the grace, hope, and mercy of God.


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Live life to the fullest. Live life with joy. Life your life knowing that you were born on purpose for a purpose!

18 comments:

  1. Beautiful words! I love the music! We are so blessed to be chosen for his purpose.

    I've linked up at Sunday thoughts behind you this week.

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    1. Thank you so much for stopping by! I enjoyed reading your blog today as well. Blessings to you!

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  2. I love this so much Alida. It sounds like you have already lived a purpose-full life. Thank you for reminding me that God wants me to do the same.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by I really appreciate your kind words. Blessings to you as you live out your purpose!

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  3. So glad you stopped by my blog so I could come meet and visit you. What a great reminder post. God planned it so simply for us, but seems we continually make it hard on ourselves and others. As you say, we are a testimony of grace, hope, and mercy of God, and if we remember and possess those traits along with Love, what a better world we would have. Great food for thought to ponder as I go into the coming week.

    Peabea@Peabea Scribbles

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    1. Thank you so much for coming by and reading! What a great world it would be if we all lived out His purpose for us. Blessings to you in this new week!

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  4. Thank you for sharing these encouraging - and challenging - words! Discovered your blog through the Sunday Scripture Blessings link-up and look forward to visiting again. Have a blessed week.

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    1. Thank you so much for stopping by I truly appreciate it! Much joy to you in this coming week. Blessings!

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  5. Alida, I am so glad that you stopped by my blog as it prompted me to come visit you tonight. Your post so went along with my own post. I am so grateful that in the middle of the dailiness of life, even in the ordinary, we can discover purpose. Thank you for again reminding me! I enjoyed reading your words and hope to visit again. Blessings!

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    1. Joanne, thank you so much for stopping by and blessings to you as your live out your purpose!

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  6. I really love this phrase "you were born on purpose for a purpose". It helps put many things in perspective especially with your reminder that God will never waste our pain. He will use it for some good. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by, Dr. Kinai. Many blessings to you as you live out your purpose this week!

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  7. This is a wonderful post! Thank you for sharing your heart and the love of Christ!

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    1. Blessings to you for taking the time to stop by! Thank you!

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  8. Love this post! As a mom of many children, I struggle with trying to help each child find their purpose in life. Of course, most of them are still children, but for my adult children I wish I could help them with this but it's something I think everyone needs to find for themselves. I especially want this for my 24 year old daughter who has a brain injury. Life has dealt her some hard things, and she struggles with so much. she is often not happy with her life because she sees what her peers are doing (driving, dating, getting college degrees) and she is unable to do these things, and she tends to get depressed about that. I want for her to find her purpose in life, I know there's something just around the corner for her but I don't know what it is or when it will come. I pray about this often. Last year was a good year because she got a job that has been her "dream" job for so long -- to work with children - and she was hired as a student supervisor at her younger siblings elementary school. Every day she helped supervise children at the lunch tables and playground. It was only 3 hours a day M-F but she LOVED it. She was SO happy last year and there was a sparkle in her eye and she had such pride for herself. And she was looking forward to returning this school year, but she got a phone call last week telling her that the school made budget cuts and she no longer had a job there. She has been so sad about that.

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    1. Wow, your daughter sounds like an incredibly strong young woman. I pray that she's able to find another job that she loves. My children are 30 and 27 and it seems we never stop praying for our kids to find their purpose. I've even started praying for my granddaughter as well!

      Blessings to you <3

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