Romans 8:28-29 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
God has a goal for us. That goal is to become like Jesus. I have loved Romans 8:28 for a long time, like most Christians. Quoting it and clinging to it during the rough seasons of life. But it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I saw the purpose, His purpose in the "all things." Good, bad, ugly, beautiful...whatever the "things" are that invade our days, God's purpose for all of it is to create a Christlike character in us.
I need goals. I need purposes. Like I spoke about regarding the complaining habit I have. It wasn't enough to just want to stop complaining and grumbling. I needed some extra umph behind it...and the Lord provided that in the suggestion to pray for others when I felt the need to complain. I have a bit of a junk food problem. And just saying I'm not going to eat it today isn't enough to stay away from it. What I needed was a reason outside myself, a way to be a blessing through sacrifice and abstaining. And the Lord told me do it for others. Lay it down as a fast to add to my prayers for the salvation of friends and family. God has so many wonderful ideas!
One of the hardest things about struggles and hardship is to think they have no purpose. As I searched for my little cat last week, my heart was breaking, but ultimately my relationship and my walk with the Lord deepened. The Lord says "ALL THINGS" have a purpose, and that purpose is to make us like Jesus. God has goals for us on a grand scale. He also gives us goals for our daily walk. But they all are designed to create a person who glorifies Him and clearly represents Jesus to the world. From the little instructions He gives for making our bad habits into something positive and beneficial for others, to the heart rending, soul grieving situations in life that drive us to the throne, God is at work, God has purpose and it is always for good.
I like the small purposes God gave me to help clean up my life this week. I am so glad my spiritual ears were open to hear Him. I pray that more and more all of our hearts are listening. Lord, open our hearts to Your voice. There are so many voices clamoring for our attention...a lot of them negative, Lord help us to filter them out to listen for You. You give us meaning. Let us live with the knowledge of You having a good plan for us! Help us to take hold of that and never let go.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Today, let us ask the Holy Spirit to renew our hearts with the knowledge that nothing escapes God's notice or His good plan. Exercise faith to believe this.
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