God’s Purpose for Our Lives

Although God has a purpose for our lives, there are many people who wander throughout their entire life not knowing their purpose. Yes, they’ve achieved a measure of success and experienced accomplishments—received an education, have a nice car, have a nice house, a good job, etc… But they’ve never truly confronted the question, “Have I done the thing that God created me to do?”

But whether they know it or not, God has a plan for their life. And everything happens according to His sovereign plan. His plan was in place before the foundation of the world. 

It’s all about God’s plan and no one can stop His plan and purpose for your life. Remember, a Red Sea couldn’t stop God. A fiery furnace couldn’t stop God. A lions’ den couldn’t stop God. Two fish and five loaves of bread couldn’t stop God. God is sovereign!

In life, many people aspire to things that aren’t in God’s plan. Often, they want to do something important because they think if they do something important, that will make them important. But you can have more titles than space to put them. More degrees than a thermometer. More letters behind your name than the alphabet, but if it’s not what God has for you, you will be nothing more than sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. You will never be truly satisfied with anything less than fulfilling God’s purpose for your life.

True purpose will make you leave a job that pays more and take a job that pays less. Purpose will make you pick up all you own and move to another city, state or country, because it’s not about your earthly home, it’s all about your eternal home.

Let me caution you to understand that purpose, however, doesn’t start with fulfillment. Purpose begins with pain. Your purpose doesn’t start with money, nor with a job, nor with an awesome wife or a wonderful husband. Purpose begins with pain, because when you know your purpose, it will make you a target. That’s how it was for Jesus. So how could it be any less for us? In fulfilling God’s purpose for your life, you will have to take up your own cross and follow Jesus.

“And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24 (KJV).

Your purpose in this life is to take up your cross daily and follow Jesus. That sounds painful, doesn’t it? Losing your life for Jesus’s sake? That sounds like it will hurt. But it’s the only way to save your life. 

As we begin this new year, know your purpose. And remember that God has something great in store for your life to fulfill the destiny He has for you! Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

‍

By Carlton P. Byrd, D.Min.
President