We've been talking about living a life of purpose and what that means for each one of us in our own individual lives. We've talked about the fact that living a life of SELF is NOT living a life of purpose and that, in reality, this is a very lonely way to live. We then discussed the fact that we need to be living a life of service and that we don't need to be waiting for the opportunity to serve to arrive...it's around each and every day right where we are.
Today I want to discuss the idea of there being "A" particular purpose in life for you. Know what I mean? Sometimes when people have "near death" experiences they feel that God saved them and kept them here for "A" purpose and they try hard to try to discover what that purpose is. And, from my experience, these people get very frustrated trying to figure out what that one, singular purpose is for their life.
Let's compare it to this example: Have you ever heard the idea that some have that there is ONE "true love" out there (where the heck is "out there"?) and that they will be happy ONLY if they find that ONE true love. Hey, what happens if that person dies before you have a chance to meet them? What happens if that person lives on the other side of the world and you never get the chance to meet them? Does that mean that you can NEVER be happy? OF COURSE NOT!
I believe it to be the same when it comes to having a purpose in life as opposed to living a life OF purpose. "A" denotes one, singular purpose and the idea that this is the ONLY purpose that fits you and your life. I really don't believe that to be true. Let me share a personal example of the struggle that can come from this type of thinking.
Back in the summer of 2009 my wife had a heart attack - a "one-in-a-million" type of heart attack that has nothing to do with cholesterol or bad eating habits, blockage or ANYTHING like that. She had a vein split in her heart and she nearly died. I'm not exaggerating - she had to be "shocked" back to life on two different occasions during this horrible ordeal. To make this short, she not only survived but she is doing extremely well, has had NO after effects of the heart attack and no damage to her heart at all. Yeah, I DO believe in miracles.
She, like many in situations like this, felt that God kept her here for a reason - a particular purpose - and, in her emotional state following this "near death experience" she became very frustrated trying to figure out what this ONE particular purpose might be for her life. She kept trying to figure out what it was that God had planned for her - what it was that she needed to do to fulfill this purpose that he saved her for. I finally got through to her (or at least I think I did) when I told her that maybe she needed to stop thinking of some BIG purpose and to maybe consider that God kept her here because I needed her, her children needed her, her parents needed her, her friends needed her. We ALL needed her to be with us and to continue to be a blessing to us and to continue to bring joy to our lives. I think that finally hit home to her...the idea that, perhaps, her purpose was to be a blessing anywhere and everywhere she went.
That's living a life OF purpose ON purpose.
I want to encourage you to do the same. Don't wait. Stop waiting. Realize that you have an opportunity to live a life of purpose each and every day. Live life ON purpose and PURPOSE (determine) to do this everyday, everywhere.
Remember that list that you put together yesterday? Don't forget that and don't forget to approach each and every day ON purpose and as your purpose for life today.
Stop waiting. Start doing, start sharing, start living.
And, as you do so, be sure to...
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
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