Are you an empty nester? Are you a widow or widower? Are you out of the work force because of job loss or retirement? Are you working, but your job doesn’t have meaning to you? Does health restrict your activity? Are you just tired of it all?
Have you lost your sense of purpose? Are you just going through the motions? Do you feel useless?
Stop Believing a Lie
Since you are reading this, you are still alive. (Duh!) Since you are alive, God has a purpose for you.
You are NOT useless. Don’t believe that lie.
God called you for a purpose
God saved you and called you to a holy calling. (2 Timothy 1:9-10)
God prepared good works for you to do (Ephesians 2:10)
God equipped you
God gave gifts to each of us. (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11)
There are a variety of God-given gifts, but each of us has been equipped for the common good. (Romans 12)
Don’t miss this: YOU have a gift. YOU have a purpose.
God will fulfill His purpose for you
God is at work, both within you and within the world to accomplish His purpose.
It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)
God fulfills His purpose for me. (Psalm 57:2 and 138:8)
God won’t take you home until He has fulfilled His purpose for you.
“David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep … (Acts 13:36).”
David didn’t die until after he had served the purpose of God.
Things to do
To help identify your purpose and some shorter-term activities that seem God-driven, look to God. Read through the New Testament quickly looking for statements of purpose and activities that seem to be directed at you. Make a list. Do the same with the Old Testament. Pray about it.
This type of Bible reading is different than devotional reading or Bible study, both of which we should be doing. The advantage is that you identify what the Bible says about a theme. A concordance is not comprehensive enough. For example, there are many, many verses about worship that do not use the word “worship.” There are topical Bibles that can help, but the best way, by far, is to get directly into the Bible yourself. Let God speak to you through His Word. Hear from God directly about your purpose and the good works you are to be doing.
Get reoriented. Get committed.
What are you going to do today?
