A friend of mine told me of concerns about how unhappy he is in his life. I was very surprised to hear this, because from the outside looking in, he has a great life. He’s one of the most successful people I know. He’s very smart, shrewd in business, likable, and is in a steady relationship with a woman that seems to equal him in success and demeanor. He confided in me that he hasn’t been faithful to his girlfriend, and that he feels as if he’s constantly under pressure. He said, “Sometimes I feel like I’m on a hamster wheel, running and trying to keep up. Every day it’s the same thing, and I don’t know why I keep grinding so hard. It all seems so pointless.” I think we would all be surprised to know the number of individuals that feel this way.
People are walking around with a hole in their souls, and once upon a time, we were told that money and success would fill it. Once you have money and success, you find out very quickly that it can result in more problems. Money and success won’t make you happy, and neither will the quest for either of them. Even so, most of us come into this world with a need to fill a void. One of the biggest mistakes that we can make is to ignore it, because as we get older, the hole gets larger.
As I thought about the conversation with my friend, I reflected on John the Baptist, because he is one of the greatest examples of someone that lived with purpose right out of the gate. Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth, John’s mother, were cousins; although Elizabeth was quite a bit older than Mary. Luke 1:36 (NLT) tells us an angel said to Mary, “What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.”
Mary went to visit Elizabeth and Luke 1:41 says that at the sound of Mary’s greeting, John the Baptist leaped in Elizabeth’s womb, and the Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. This is how it is when destiny is fulfilled. A deeply felt spiritual joy is evidenced, and it is proof that we are in the right place at the right time, according to God’s plan.
This doesn’t mean that every circumstance and condition of our lives will be or is perfect. It doesn’t mean that WE are perfect. John the Baptist was not what some might consider a gentleman. By all accounts, John was a rugged individual. Matthew 3:4 describes him as wearing clothes made of coarse camel hair, and he ate locusts and wild honey for food, but Luke 1:80 also tells us that He grew up and became strong in spirit. And the message he preached was clear, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:2 NLT) John the Baptist had a purpose, and it was to prepare the hearts and minds of people for the ministry of the Jesus Christ.
John lived in the wilderness of Judea. It was not an uninhabitable place. There were villages and cities, but they were sparsely populated. This is where he preached about the coming of Jesus Christ, and people from all over went to hear his message. When they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
Many people have not done this, they have not confessed their sins to God and believed on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Sin action is disobedience against God’s Word. It’s not believing that what God says is wrong IS wrong, and what He says is right IS right. It’s also not recognizing or connecting the dots between actions, choices, and consequences. This is where a lot of people go off the rails, because they think they can continue to carry the baggage of wrong choices, poor judgment, and bad behavior in their hearts without consequences. Not so. Without repenting for our sins, and asking Heavenly Father for forgiveness in the precious name of Jesus Christ, we will continue to carry the weight of darkness in our souls. God tells us in Hebrews 12:1 to strip off every weight that slows us down, ESPECIALLY the sin that trips us up repeatedly. Heavenly Father tells us that it’s possible to strip off the weight of sin, and we can do it by earnestly repenting in our hearts.
Again, John the Baptist was not perfect, but he was perfectly suited, prepared, and engaged in the purpose for which he was born. My friend has a purpose, and so does everyone. God is our Creator, and He’s an on-purpose God. Everything He does has a purpose and a reason. Ephesians 1:4 says that even before God made the world, He loved us and chose us to be a part of His family through His beloved Son. You and I can’t make ourselves holy. God made us holy through Christ, and He gave us His precious Holy Spirit to help guide us through life.
When you don’t know who you are, and what God has done to make you who we are, you get lost, like my friend. Jesus Christ told us in Matthew 6:33 to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first; not second…not third, but first. Our relationship with God must be our first priority, because when it is, all the other things in life move in harmony with His Will for us. We must seek God for forgiveness of sins continually, and we must seek Him to know our purpose in life, because it will take the rest of our lives to live it out, and enjoy the rich rewards God wants to give us.■
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
“Perfectly Suited for Purpose” written by JMack. 4theChristianMan.Com© 2018. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.