Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Sometimes you wonder why...

Do you ever feel like life has no meaning? no flavor? no point?...like why am I here? what is my purpose? Just writing the questions makes me feel a little melancholy. But I think that's the point: the more we dwell on "purposelessness" the more pointless life feels, the less good we feel, less happy, less able to fulfill our God-given purpose.

I heard a story once that discouragement is Satan's most prized tool -- no smell, no taste, virtually undetectable, and we eat it up. It's so easy to fall for this age-old trick.

Well, I've decided that I will no longer allow that to be the case for me. My thought life belongs to me and I will choose which thoughts will stay and which must leave! One way I've learned to overcome discouraging thoughts is to dwell on and pray through the Scripture. Several books have been written on praying the scriptures, but one of my favorites is the one written by Beth Moore. It helps you personalize and take hold of the Scripture and what it means for your situation.
There are a couple scriptures that really mean a lot to me when I'm feeling down and out, and today I'd like to share them with anyone who will read on...

Eph 1:11-12 (The Message) "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone."

Romans 8:28-29 (CEV) "We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose, and he has always known who his chosen ones would be."

1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) "...for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light."

Psalm 138:8 (NIV) "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands."

Isaiah 43:7 (NIV) "...everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."

I am so glad to be called by His name! To be His chosen possession! To know that He is working in me, through me, and for me! So take heart! You too are called by Him and for His purpose. YOU are His special, prized, chosen possession. He loves you and He WILL accomplish His purpose for you if you will only let Him.

Turn off the discouragement channel and tune into the promises of God...they are YES and AMEN!

Look it up!