Articles
Our Why
I love this: “We don’t get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it.” (Jon Gordon)
Purpose is so important for us. It fuels us. Knowing our purpose enables us to be unstoppable. We will face adversity, but when our purpose is greater than our adversity we are able to endure. We have to look past the point of our nose.
Jesus said, “I do all things always that please the Father.” If we remember that as our purpose then we stay fueled along the journey of life. It is the pursuit of pleasing ourselves that fatigues. There is no end to the pursuit. There is never enough. But if the one thing I think about all day is how can I please the Father, that “Why” fuels me. Everything fits in that paradigm.
Paul said in Athens: “…so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each of us” (Acts 17:27). Here, the purpose is to seek and know God. With that as my purpose, the ‘Why” I do everything I do is from the purpose of seeking and knowing Him. No matter what else is happening in my life, I am using it to seek to know and find Him. Anything that takes me in a different direction is not part of my purpose.
Paul said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the upward calling of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 4:13). The mark I am pressing toward is to be transformed into His image. If I am being transformed to BE like Him, then the “Why” I do what I do is to enable me to BE someone different than who I am. I want to be pure as He is pure. I will engage in things that make me pure. If I want to be righteous, as He is righteous, I will be involved in things that help be righteous. If I want to love as He loves, I will love my enemies, speak well of them, and do them good. All I want is to be like Him. Then why would I be engaged in anything that hinders that purpose?
So, Why? Why are we here? What difference do we want to make? We must know our purpose. Knowing will not keep us from the problems of life under the sun but it will help us stay focused on the Son.
Rickie
