People of Purpose

    Truthfully there are some days where I barely can get out of bed. I have to coach myself like I'm playing football; and what I really mean is, I have to coach myself like I'm playing football for the Lions. Previously in life I've been guilty for calling off of work for being "sick", but really it was just because I was overwhelmed with feelings of depression and hopelessness. I've had thoughts that life is not worth living. I've had thoughts of leaving. I have had thoughts of sinning. If you haven't felt worthless then let's just call you what you are - a liar. Ha-ha. I am positive that almost everybody has felt worthless at least once.

    I am positive that we've all tried to cover up how we really feel inside with things whether it be weed, alcohol, buying an excessive amount of new products, blotting out our thoughts with music, or whatever else helps us to not deal with the pain that we really feel inside. It can be hard to see your purpose when you're so focused on the pain, or when you're so focused on internalizing the pain. But the day we seek God for healing is the day we can see our purpose through clear glass. We start to look to God for our identity instead of looking to our feelings of illegitimacy. Wake up. Your designer clothes can't define you. Your sports abilities can't define you. Your radical rap skills surely can't define you.

    If you think they do then you must know that eventually your clothes will get holey (not holy) and frankly, the body that your designer clothes are cladding will get wrinkly and you won't think you look as good in them as you did in your youth. Then when your body gets wrinkly, your bones get brittle, and your b-ball skills are going to drastically dwindle. Then when your body gets wrinkly, your bones get brittle, your voice is definitely going to start to diminish and in reality, your hip hop is going to start to sound like Frank Sinatra. These may be gifts and talents that you have now, but what's your reason behind doing them? You can be making a huge difference, but if you're not doing it with the right heart, a heart of love for others, then it means nothing.

    God gave you a purpose and it is up to you to fulfill it. In order for us to fulfill it He must repeatedly refine us so that it is not our purpose that defines us, but His purpose and who we are as children of promise. If our purpose ultimately defines us, instead of God then we are going to be focused on the wrong thing. Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." I want to encourage you today to keep hanging onto the words God has spoken to you and hanging onto the words that have been prophesied over you that you're still waiting to see come to pass. In 1 Kings 9 God had made a covenant with Solomon that if Solomon walked in uprightness and kept His statutes then God would establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever. In other words, if Solomon did his part then God would do His. Long story short, and I encourage you to read it for yourselves; Solomon did not obey the Lord.

    The importance of obedience is great. Deuteronomy 28:1 says, "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all of his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth." In other words, obedience brings blessings and disobedience brings curses. A good example of this is the prodigal son taking his father's inheritance, leaving his father, and wasting it on things of this world. If you're living in blatant sin I also want to encourage you to turn from it and to come back home. He's waiting for you. Don't miss out on the things He has in store for your life. I pray that whatever you're pursuing this day is not the world, but the Prince of Peace who has given you these promises.