Daily Devotional - Finding Purpose

💛 Worship: If you'd like to play a song before you begin or while you read, may we recommend "I Give Myself Away" by William McDowell. Why not try asking alexa, siri, or google to play it for you?!

❤ Daily Verse: All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory.
☆ John 17:10 NLT

🧡 Let's Talk About It: So many people are out in the world searching for meaning...for purpose. Did you know that you were created to bring God glory? Yes, YOU!

I have been "searching for my purpose" for 3 1/2 years. I have read the bible from beginning to end fully one time in that time, but I hop back and forth between those pages daily. I have never noticed this verse so profoundly before today.

It is the answer to that which you [and I] seek...what am I here for?

Maybe you're like me and your childhood wasn't filled with rainbows and butterflies. Maybe you too, went from poverty to a blended family. Maybe like me, Jesus wasn't in your day to day life then. If that's the case, then you're spending time in your adult years trying to figure out what God wants you to do.

Keep it simple.

Where are you now? What people has God already placed in your inner circle? What talents and gifts do you have? How can you use those gifts to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ? How has God made you to glorify Him?

When you can answer these questions, then you will finally understand your purpose. It's really that simple. The struggle is figuring out where your specific puzzle piece fits into God's Kingdom.

I know I can cook, so I like to make food and take it to people who may be hurting, dealing with loss, or in need financially.

I like to sing so I enjoy doing that for those who wish to hear a certain song, cheering them up while in a hospital by singing life-giving words of worship music over them.

I like to paint & write and create and inspire others.

But if I'm being honest, I believe most of us are called to simply love others. There won't be a public pulpit or platform for us to relay our thoughts and perspective. For most of us, it's going to look alot like Jesus-the REAL Jesus, who walked the streets, healing people, freeing them from demons and bondage, not like the Sadducees or Pharisees who were so pious they missed the Messiah entirely. We should be willing to do without so others can have, suffering so that others don't have to, and dying to our own dreams, wants, and desires in order to love people where they are.

The Bible says that which we do in public is rewarded by the world, but that which is done in secret is rewarded by God Himself (Matt. 6:1-4). So, if you're going to even fulfill your calling to glorify God in the first place, you don't want to publicize it to the whole world.

Let heaven rejoice with you. Let the concerns of this world go. You can't take ANY of this with you, but you will get to spend eternity with all the amazing people you form relationships with here, including Christ Himself!

💙 Additional Reading: “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
☆ Matthew 6:1‭-‬4 NLT

💜 Prayer: Dear Father, in a world with so much noise and so much going on, I just want to sit in your presence and listen to what you have to say. I come with no agenda. I simply want to be with you, Lord. Teach me how to see people how you see them and how to love them as you love them. Show me how I can contribute to your Kingdom, God and glorify you in all I do. Jesus, thank you for giving me the ultimate example of what my life should look like. Thank you for strengthening me and loving me, even when I am weak and struggle with loving myself. Thank you for dying so that I may live. I love you Jesus and in your name I pray, amen.