He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side… —Mark 6:45
We tend to think that if Jesus Christ compels us to do something and we are obedient to Him, He will lead us to great success. We should never have the thought that our dreams of success are God’s purpose for us. In fact, His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have the idea that God is leading us toward a particular end or a desired goal, but He is not. The question of whether or not we arrive at a particular goal is of little importance, and reaching it becomes merely an episode along the way. What we see as only the process of reaching a particular end, God sees as the goal itself.
What is my vision of God’s purpose for me? Whatever it may be, His purpose is for me to depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay calm, faithful, and unconfused while in the middle of the turmoil of life, the goal of the purpose of God is being accomplished in me. God is not working toward a particular finish— His purpose is the process itself. What He desires for me is that I see “Him walking on the sea” with no shore, no success, nor goal in sight, but simply having the absolute certainty that everything is all right because I see “Him walking on the sea” (Mark 6:49). It is the process, not the outcome, that is glorifying to God.
God’s training is for now, not later. His purpose is for this very minute, not for sometime in the future. We have nothing to do with what will follow our obedience, and we are wrong to concern ourselves with it. What people call preparation, God sees as the goal itself.
God’s purpose is to enable me to see that He can walk on the storms of my life right now. If we have a further goal in mind, we are not paying enough attention to the present time. However, if we realize that moment-by-moment obedience is the goal, then each moment as it comes is precious.
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Journal DJR
Good Morning, Lord,
I seem so tuned in to goal seeking and achieving…. I think you made me this way? Or perhaps I had some hardwiring this direction and then it got even stronger by the culture I was raised in and the push that I added to it? However I got to where I am, I find it very difficult to stop striving for goals. I do it in all areas, business, politics, relational, art, … everything. I find it easy to intellectually agree with the message that the process is more important than the goal but where the rubber meets the road…not so much. When it comes to practicality, I revert quickly to goal seeking and challenge overcoming.
You are focusing on a single aspect of this issue. It is not that I dont want you to overcome challenges and seek goals. You are correct, I made you in my image and I do those things. It is only a matter of focus and priority. If you strive to know me, commune with me, and stay connected with me …. everything else will follow out of what comes thru that connection. Then you can live in chaos and storms and still be at peace and joy. Get simple, like a child and focus on the one thing… our connection. Then you’ll understand what Solomon concluded.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14The Message (MSG)
12-13 But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There’s no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you’re no good for anything else. The last and final word is this: Fear God. Do what he tells you.
14 And that’s it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil.
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