Are You Running With a Purpose?

Run…Run….We live a life on purpose when we are running to glorify God through what we do; through our abilities, as well as our passions.


The writer of Hebrews encourages us to follow Jesus' example in taking the long view of life: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus...who for the joy set before him endured the cross..." This is so we "will not grow weary and lose heart" (Heb. 12:1-3).


* Jesus had a strong sense of purpose. It kept him focused through every challenge, every diversion, every opposition, and ultimately through his suffering on the cross.


The Apostle Paul wrote: "...God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles" (Gal. 1:15-16). He too faced incredible hardship and distraction, but his sense of purpose kept him on course, so that he was able to write:


* But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal, to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13-14).


So what about you and me? Jesus and Paul are unique in the course of human history. God gave them each a very special, monumental purpose. Does He have a specific purpose in mind for each of us? I think He does. One passage in particular that leads me to that conclusion:


* For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10).


Think about the magnitude of that statement: We are His special creation, placed on this earth with a purpose, to work on his behalf in accordance with His plan for our lives. As with Paul, God had something specific in mind for us even before we were born:


* For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be (Psa. 139:13-16).


And He doesn't simply leave us to our own resources to attempt to fulfill His purpose. He indwells the believer with his presence, enabling us to do what He created us to do:


* For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose (Phil. 2:13).


Each of us is specifically called by God according to His sovereign will and purpose. This call is described at two levels: (1) Eternal calling--God desires for us to enjoy His presence forever, so by grace He has saved us from the deadly consequences of sin (Eph. 2:8-9) and (2) Earthly calling--God has called us to a specific mission here on earth, to serve Him and bring glory to His name (Eph. 2:10). Are you running the race of life with purpose? Do you feel you have a full life? Don’t let Satan steal your joy. Trust in God and pursue a relationship with Him. Through that, He will show us the joy and purpose for our life.


As Randy Thompson said: Don’t sit at the starting line acting like the gun hasn’t been shot off just because you are not yet aware of your passions or abilities! The second you stepped in to a relationship with God, the gun went off! RUN. He will show you the way. He will make you aware of your passions and your abilities. RUN. And as you run, ask yourself, “How can I glorify God today, tomorrow, this year, and in my life?” RUN.


In Him,
Whitney Mildren & Kendall Johnson