Skip to main content

Doing What You Love...

I was sitting in Starbucks awhile back working on this blog, making contacts with people, planning the rest of my day and just enjoying what God was doing in my life. We had just launched a new small group, Success iN Life (SNL). It was designed to help people find true, Biblical success in their lives. We talked about what true success looked like. We had a white board out and people gave words to define success. We had money, security, "Mother Theresa", but my favorite was from a gentleman who said, “Success for me is Happiness.” Wow what a statement. I believe that true success is seen in that simple word that most of us find hard to find - happiness.

The true test of success in life is whether or not you are truly happy where you are. The Bible says, "the joy of the Lord is our strength". The word joy denotes happiness. I have heard many people preach that joy and happiness are two different things, I don't thank so. I think that when you are fulfilling God's purpose for your life, AND you can truly say I am happy - right now, where I am! That is truly freeing.

Now, don't get me wrong, “in this world you will have trouble, BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER, He has overcome the world.” In other words, you can be happy even in the middle of trouble, if you know you are living the life God has purposed for you.

I believe that every person has been given the gifts and talents necessary to fulfill the purpose you have been assigned to achieve. Like Esther in the Old Testament, you are here for such a time as this. While I do not believe in total predestination, as in the Reformed Calvinist tradition, I do believe that God has a purpose, and yes, even a destiny for your life. The key is unlocking that destiny and your potential to be all you were created to be.

So, how do I do that, how do I "get happy"? Well it starts with a relationship with your maker. You have to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ to be able to have him share your propose with you. Then you have to learn to hear his voice, this comes from reading his word and spending time listening in prayer to the Spirit speaking to you.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to determine your purpose, and begin to take the steps necessary to achieve that purpose. Maybe that means going back to school, or getting your finances in shape, of making that very important decision to become a follower of the Christ. Wherever you are today, throw caution to the wind, put up your sails and see where the Spirit blows your life today!

Until next time...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Leadership Lessons from Crepe Myrtles

Last spring I cut the side of my face, right my left ear.  After the bleeding stopped I learned a great lesson about life, leadership, and relationships.  Along the front of our church we had a beautiful life of crepe myrtles.    They looked breathtaking: bright red, full of blooms and just a year old.  They had grown at a very rapid pace, partly because we had an unusually mild winter, partly because the temperature has been quite comfortable for them, but mostly because we have had a lot of rain extending late into the summer.   For those who are not familiar with Arkansas weather patterns, we usually have a lot of spring storms, bringing with them massive rains. Flash-floods - you know, National Weather Service alarms on your phone, kind of rains.  This usually happens from around April until the middle of June.  Then something crazy happens - the rain stops.  I mean, turn the spigo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Something Stinks

In   John 11  there is a story about a man named Lazarus. He was a man that was a dear friend of Jesus, but one day he died. Jesus, hearing that he died, stalled. He took a few days just hanging out, knowing that his friend was dead. I have some personal issues with this text, but this is not about my need for therapy, there is a very important point buried in here that God wants you to get. Verse 15 - Jesus says “I am glad I was not there when he died, so that you can believe.”  There are some things in our lives that have died. Important things, things that meant a lot to us. Our dreams, our passions, our direction. These things have died on purpose. I need to say that again. God has ALLOWED some things to die in our lives, so that we may believe. We all have things that have died, we have buried them, walked away and stopped allowing ourselves to think what might have been. But then out of nowhere Jesus shows up and says that thing is not dead, it's just aslee...
Post a Comment
Read more

Let's Talk Money

So, let’s talk about money and giving.  Let’s do it from the context and perspective of our story at Encounter Church and how your giving has, and will continue to make an impact on the lives of people in Hot Springs, as well as nations around the globe. After more than 20 years in pastoral ministry, I know that few things bring more tension in a conversation than talking about money. In fact, most people never talk about it unless they are in trouble. But I think we need to have a healthy understanding of how ministry is funded and the part we play, the part God plays, and where the money is going. “Where’s the Money Going?” The finances of any church should not be based in fear, or tension, because our finances are really just a story about us and about where we are going as a church. Our budget, as a church, is a tool we use to manage the incredible gifts we have been given and to live boldly in the calling of God in this community. For example, you cannot talk about fina...
Post a Comment
Read more