Purpose.

I was talking to my mom the other day being all like "I don't know what I'm doing! How is what I do affecting the world!!?" So My mom sent me this Email about a book she is reading I know it's long, but I encourage you to take the time to read it. I thought it was really good. Maybe our purpose isn't so much to "know" how and what we are supposed to do and much more are we willing to do what God tells us to do. DAILY? Morning to night, are we up to the challenge of living a Godly life at home, school, work, and where ever this crazy life takes us?

(here's what my mom sent)

"How many times have you heard someone say, "I just wish I knew God's will for my life"? I know I've longed for this before. But now i see it as a misguided way of thinking and talking.

There are very few people in the Scrxiptures who received their life plan from God in advance (or even their five-year plan, for that matter!). Consider Abraham, who was told to pack up his family and all his possessions and start walking. He didn't know where he was going. He didn't know if he would ever be back. He didn't know any of the details we consider vital (e.g., his destination, how long the venture would take, what the costs/rewards would be, whether he'd receive a 401 (k) or health insurance). God said to go and he went, and that's pretty much all he knew.

I think a lot of us need to forget about "God's will for my life." God cares more about our response to His Spirit's leading today, in this moment, than about what we intend to do next year. in fact, the decisions we make next year will be profoundly affected by the degree to which we submit to the Spirit right now, in today's decisions.

It is easy to use the phrase "God's will for my life" as an excuse for inaction or even disobedience. It's much less demanding to think about God's will for your future than it is to ask Him what He wants you to do in the next ten minutes. It's safer to commit to following Him "someday" instead of "this day."

To be honest, I believe part of the desire to "know God's will for my life" is birthed in fear and results in paralysis. We are scared to make mistakes, so we fret over figuring out God's will. We wonder what living according to His will would actually look and feel like, and we are scared to find out. We forget that we were never promised a twenty-year plan of action; instead God promises multiple times in Scripture never to leave or forsake us.

God wants us to listen to His Spirit on a daily basis, and even throughout the day, as difficult and stretching moments arise, and in the midst of the mundane. My hope is that instead of searching for "God's will for my life," each of us would learn to seek hard after "the Spirit's leading in my life today." May we learn to pray for an open and willing heart, to surrender to the Spirit's leading with that friend, child, spouse, circumstance, or decision in our lives right now. 

So that's that.. I hope you read it. Loving and following God is the most difficult thing I can do. And at the same time what I was made to do. Somedays it takes all my mental strength just to love God. Maybe we focus to much on overcoming the world when we need to focus a little more on overcoming and humbling ourselves before God. It seems mundane, but there is where the battle lies, Christ's spirit in us battling against our self.

I'm rambling.. but ya that's that..