The journey to discover God’s purpose for our life is as unique as our fingerprints.
God has a purpose and a plan for your life. The journey to discover God’s purpose for our life is as unique as our fingerprints. Understanding God’s purpose for our lives requires hard work of character, courage, and conviction; however, every great achievement requires genuine sacrifice. Even though discoveries can be thrilling, they can also be frightening and overwhelming. I was filled with so much excitement when i started building my relationship with God, and also i was equally afraid.
Reflecting on my past relationships and how I ended up when things were becoming too tough for me, I thought i was going to repeat the same instances and give up on God. But the more I changed, the less my worries rule over me.
I experienced a personal transformation when i stopped unhealthy and sinful practices in my life.
Therefore we all, must answer this questions What must I give up in order for me to fulfill God’s plan for my life? The story of Zacchaeus will teach us some things in this study.
“Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Luke 19:8-10 NLT
Zacchaeus felt inspired to make a change to put his life in order. He showed that he was prepared to accept responsibility and was ready to go, to any lengths to mend relationships in his life. Jesus was inspired and motivated by his readiness to change. The true test of humility is this readiness to change. The true test of our humility is not what we say, but rather what we do to improve our lives and relationships with God and men. I can recall the moment I made the decision to fix things up with one of my siblings was the same day I made the decision to stop blaming others, own up to my resentment, and chose to care once more. Despite my fear of rejection, I made the decision to act first, and our relationship drastically transformed as a result.
“All who seek to live apart from me will lose it all. But those who let go of their lives for my sake and surrender it all to me will discover true life!” MATTHEW 10:39 NIV
Jesus reminds us that true life can only be discovered by letting go and surrendering to him. What must you sacrifice in order to fulfill God’s purpose for your life? How are you going to let go today in order to start or discover God purpose for your life? Few questions for you to meditate on.
Why does God want us to Change.
God desires for everyone to change so as to become more like Jesus Christ and live peaceful, joyful, and loving lives. 1. To be a member of God’s family: God intends for his children to spend eternity as members of His beloved family. 2. To love God: God desires for mankind to love Him in return and discover more about Him. 3. To walk in God’s ways: God desires for his people to repent of their sinful ways and walk holy in His ways. 4. To be transformed: God desires has always been to change his people from their old ways , not to control them. 5. To be a better person: you can’t waste your life when you accept the Lordship of jesus Christ into your life. You will live a better live and become a better person as you become more like Jesus.
“who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.” – 2 Timothy 1:9
This verse of the scripture remind us that our true purpose is found only in Jesus Christ, and by accepting his call to change, we can live a life filled with meaning, direction and purpose.
How to change your life according to the Bible
How does God do it?
Take note that my question is “How does God do it?” rather than “how do you do it.” Is God who changes us. We are his creation. We work together, and that collaboration is crucial. However, God is the one who changes us. Christianity is not an instrument for self-help. It is not our labor; it is God’s. Here are four ways that God helps us become more like Jesus.
1. Through the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) The Holy Spirit enters your life the moment you surrender your life to God and become a Christian ; He resides within you and begins to transform us from the inside out. He is the driving force of Christian life. For this reason, we must receive the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18 Avoid drinking wine since it can lead to debauchery. Rather, be filled with the Holy Spirit”.
This verse of the scripture commanded us to always be filled with the Spirit. Been filled with the holy Spirit is not a gift for a select few spiritual people; the Holy Spirit is a gift to as many that accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ and it’s a command for all. Since the Spirit is the source of the Christian life, it is required of everyone of us to be filled with Him.
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit”. Where does the transformation and change originate? The Spirit!
2. Through Spiritual growth and training
Spiritual practice or training is the second element of change.
Timothy 4:7–8 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
Develop a godly lifestyle. Get some exercise. Visit the gym—in a spiritual sense! What percentage of you visit the gym? What percentage of you exercise at home? Exercise is beneficial. Everyone should exercise; it’s incredibly beneficial to your health. Here, Paul asserts that while physical training has its benefits, they are limited. It is just valuable for this life. Running and lifting weights may be beneficial in the moment, but they won’t help you once you pass away. However, “for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come,” spiritual growth and training is beneficial. There are two benefits to spiritual exercise: which are “this life and the next life”- after death. Engaging in spiritual activities benefits both this life and the next.
3. By constant renewing your mind Your mind is involved in the third element of change. You are who you are because of your beliefs, values, and self-narratives. Furthermore, a lot of us have been lying to ourselves by telling the wrong stories about ourselves. We must have our mind change to be able to recognize our story as a part of God’s bigger story. Many falsely believe that God is against them or, at most, that God desires something from them. You need to have a change of mind because God has a plan for you.
John 10:10 “I came that you might have life and have it to the fullest,”Jesus said.
4. Be in a company/community of believers Christianity requires teamwork. We cannot play it by ourselves. We require others. God challenges, trains, corrects, and encourages us through other people.
Hebrews 10:24–25 And let us think about how we might encourage each other to love and do good things, 25 not by stopping our meetings, as some people do, but by supporting one another—and even more so as the Day draws near. Let’s encourage each other as true believers.
How many of you have found that having a partner or being in a group increases your likelihood of going to the gym, running, or maintaining an exercise schedule? We need others to Challenge and encourage us to give our best on things that matter.
