More than a Survivor
Going From Purpose Driven to Purpose Realized
You have been called by God for a great purpose. Thankfully, the realization of this principle has moved us into a world of purpose driven life where many now look to put aside their personal agendas and chase after the authentic will of God for their lives. Here, however, is the challenge: being driven, particularly “Purpose driven” can be frustrating and even clinically depressing if the destination you’re driving towards is never reached or your arrival time is delayed.
Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly,” John 10:10. That’s good news! Yet, that’s not always what people are experience. To go from the primary gift of salvation and eternal life, to abundant living, you’ve got to obtain certain tools, develop effective habits, and learn how to put Biblical principles to work in your daily existence. Abundance is all about going from being purpose driven to purpose realized.
On the first day of January, millions of people make resolutions hoping to change their life in some way. Unfortunately, by January 4th, the gyms empty out, the McDonalds fill up, and possibly more chocolate is consumed than any other day of the year. Most resolutions have disappeared in just 3 days because change is difficult. The next year, the holidays show up again and the same pattern is repeated.
In the dictionary, the term resolution actually means “fixed purpose”. That definition makes the reality of resolutions either humorous or sad. We clearly need to change what we call these oaths or we need to amend the term “resolution”. Maybe we should call it something like this year’s “passing fancy” or “temporary whim.”
Sometime shortly after the fourth day of January, life goes on; but our dreams, goals, and plans don’t survive the rest of the journey – although I’ve noticed in recent years that most people have given up the resolution game altogether and just don’t make them anymore. For many of us, it’s not so much what happens in January as it is what’s taken place over a lifetime. Our search for significance, for meaning and for buried treasure has met with so much struggle and failure that we’ve either given up altogether or we end up on the wrong track. At the beginning of the journey we were off just a few degrees but by the time we arrived at the destination, we are miles from our intended location. We left New York on the way to Florida but we ended up in New Mexico.
Getting off track and ending up at the wrong destination is a tragic consequence. Your desire to fulfill your God-given purpose and reach your destination (nation of destiny, land of dreams) is authentic and important. The dreams, goals and plans He gives us pull us toward our future and bring us closer to Him. Those desires that motivated our resolutions are often placed there by God as the Bible says, “God gives us the desires of our heart” Ps 37:4. If we went after these deeper desires, we could have discovered a closer walk with Him.
It’s not uncommon for people to admire their own survival skills. When trial, tribulation, hardship, failure, and set backs have come into their lives, they’ve endured. But there is a big difference between enduring and arriving at “abundant life.” If ideals are sacrificed, purpose denied, important plans changed and dreams relinquished, are we left with anything but existing? We keep breathing but if we are no longer moving towards our real destiny. Something important has been forgotten.
For most of us us, it’s past time for resolutions or the commitments we make to ourselves all throughout the year. Resolutions come from a temporary motivation for change. They’re emotional and emotions shift up and down with the day and season. It’s not time for a resolution. It's time for a revolution – and for that you need inspiration, not motivation. This can only occur when we no longer rely on the latest motivational materials and fad programs. We need the transforming, inspiring power of God that turns simple emotional change into commitment. To realize our purpose we need to be MORE THAN A SURVIVOR!
The Bible gives us plenty of inspiration not to give up. There are many accounts of men and women who failed dramatically before and as they were working to get on track with God (Think Abram, Jacob, Saul, Ruth, the prostitute that hid the spies, Moses, Gideon, Peter, and the list goes on). This should give us comfort. Some of the Bible's greatest examples made the biggest mistakes and broke their resolutions. This fact tells us that we cannot succeed with resolution and self-motivation alone. We need the awe inspiring, life transforming power and word of God along with his never-ending grace & mercy.
You might think you have messed up your past life but it’s highly unlikely you will have made as many mistakes as the sins of our patriarchs. David had a man killed to cover up his adultery. Saul dedicated his life to the persecution and death of the Christians. Along with many others, they discovered that God loves second chances. Paul says in Romans 7:18 “ For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” Paul knew that on his own strength, he was finished. But he tells us that he gains victory over his “body of death” through Jesus Christ. Paul discovered transformation, the real revolution of God. He realized his purpose -he was a great deal more than a survivor – and you can be more than a survivor too!
With God, all things are possible,
Dr. Ben