ByPurpose gives meaning to everything that exists, lasts and happens in a mission-driven personality’s life. Many people, including some Christians, are frustrated with life not because they don’t have food, jobs or money but because they don’t know why God brought them to the earth. If you’re one of the people I just described, I want to assure you that there is hope for you in Christ. The God who created you knows why He brought you into the world and what He has foreordained you to do specifically in Christ, aside from the general divine purpose of believers doing good works (Ephesians 2:10). Come to Him because He will reveal your divine purpose to you.
Today’s article is spiritually insightful to any Christian who may be struggling to understand why some sacrifices are necessary to make in Christ. I want to teach on three benefits of living purposefully as a child of God. I hope you are ready.
1. Living on purpose gives you protection against costly life distractions
We live in a world full of advertisements. From the media to physical banners and posters, distractions are everywhere.
Although there’s nothing wrong with advertising, I see it as a competition for people’s attention. Advertisers know that when their ads get your attention well, they can turn you to be their followers or customers. That’s why they work on optimising their ads so much.
It’s the same thing the devil is doing and using. The devil, through distractions, causes people living purposeless lives to give attention to things that are of no kingdom value. Sometimes, these things end up harming people. Let’s look at what Nehemiah’s life taught about this in the Bible
[2] Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; [3] so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” — Nehemiah 6:2-3 (NIV)
Nehemiah, a man of vision, was rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. But as the project was going on, he faced opposition from three main people: Sanballat, Geshem and Tobiah. These people were on the quest to end Nehemiah’s life. So they sent him a message four consecutive times to make the man of God meet him for a discussion. However, Nehemiah never went. He knew what God had called him to do. For that cause, he didn’t allow seemingly good invitations from enemies to distract the work of God entrusted to Him.
Remember why God brought you on this earth and live it well.
Maybe, yours isn’t an invitation from an enemy, but sexual harassment like Joseph’s ordeal with Potiphar’s wife (which was a ploy of Satan to corrupt the Holy Seed of Christ that was being preserved in the family line of Abraham), a television advertisement, secular entertainment invitation flier in your email or social media inbox. Whatever the case, remember why God brought you on this earth and live it well.
Knowledge and consciousness of your purpose in Christ teach you how to use your time effectively, what materials you need to read or listen to in order to stir up the divine gift in you, which people to mingle with, and specific activities you must do daily to advance God’s vision for your life.
2. Living on purpose helps you to make uncommonly wise decisions
Decisions are paramount in life. You are where you are today in life because of the decisions you took some time ago, whether you consciously made them or not. Without living on purpose, you’ll make decisions that won’t benefit you.
As a believer, I am intentional about attending specific spiritual gatherings, whether physically or online, not because I don’t have anything else to do, but because I know God will give me at least a Word I need in each of these gatherings that will take me from one level to another. What about you?
In Daniel 2, the Bible records that Nebuchadnezzar demanded that someone should tell him a dream he had and also interpret it. Daniel consulted God and solved the issue. Nebuchadnezzar was so thrilled that he made Daniel the ruler of the whole province of Babylon. But in Daniel 2:49, the prophet of God requested the king to place Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego as chief ministers of the province of Babylon instead of him while he (Daniel) remained at the royal court.
Daniel knew his purpose. He didn’t allow the king’s elevation of his position to excite him so much that he’ll not rise and stay faithful to fulfil his divine mandate as a prophet and intercessor of the Israelites in Babylon. If this were to happen today, keyboard soldiers would comment on social media posts that Daniel is foolish. But it’s a mystery. Daniel lived purposefully.
God has a way of making you take uncommonly wise decisions that will give you space to fulfil your divine mandate. He can prevent you from settling in another city only to make you still connected physically to like-minded brethren in your current vicinity. He can teach you how to be frugal with money in order to redirect much of your finances towards the ministry. Such things are so mysterious and only understood by people living purposefully.
If you are making enormous sacrifices to remain faithful to God’s commission, don’t expect people, including some of your biological family members, to understand you and how you do your things. Keep pressing on.
3. Living on purpose makes you use your resources effectively
Everybody has resources. However, many people misuse and abuse them. Now that is a result of a lack of personal knowledge and consciousness about divine purpose. Purposeful living is one of the most powerful ways God uses to teach people about how to use their resources, especially money.
Living on purpose distinguishes you from the masses.
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Jesus didn’t use his anointing to multiply five loaves of bread and two fishes just for himself and the twelve apostles to eat but to feed over five thousand people. A Christian parent who is conscious of the truth that God has blessed him with children to raise in the reverence of the Lord won’t spend money on cigarettes while his children suffer from hunger. A Christian student who knows why God brought him to school won’t spend money on unprofitable things on campus because he’ll be mindful of the ministry and his education.
God uses your knowledge of purpose to teach you how to be selfless with finances and resources. And although living purposefully comes with challenges, I would say it is still glorious because it distinguishes you from the masses.
I hope the Lord uses these truth morsels to encourage you to live a purpose-driven life wherever you are. You’re a blessing!
