Created for Something // Faithfully Honest

Graphic by the wiz, @LetteringLis Follow her on Instagram :)

I’ve been feeling a bit guilty lately. Nothing that’s concerning, but lately I’ve been thinking about the purpose for my life. Am I living out the life God wants me to lead? Am I truly living up to his expectations of me? I mean, I say I’m a Christian, I write about my faith life, I talk the talk, but do I walk the walk? Am I tuning myself in to God in all circumstances? The reality is, I’m not, but thank goodness for grace, right? Thanks goodness for God’s goodness. Can I get an Amen?

It’s obviously not easy to just let go of the guilt. It kind of eats you up inside and starts chewing away at you. The negative thoughts starting flying in from all angles…
 

“You’re not good enough.”
“You’re a hypocrite.”
“You’re lying to the world.”
“Maybe the world is better off without you.”

It’s crazy where your mind goes if you don’t tame it.

But you know what? These guilty thoughts are strong, but my faith is stronger. And that’s when I realize that I have the ability to control the guilt I feel and use it as motivation to do better. And once I do that, my thoughts start to change…

“Okay, lesson learned. Now let’s see what you’ve got!”
“Who can you inspire today?”
“How can God use you today for his glory?”

I start to pray. I pray that God heals my heart so I can help heal others through kindness. Then it hits me: Maybe God’s purpose for me in this world is to shine a light through others the way he shines a light for me.

Pastor Rick Ruksaw once said,

"I didn't grow up in a church, so I came to discover grace through some people that lived in our neighborhood who were just good people. I'm grateful for that grace. It changed the trajectory of my life in so many ways. We all love this idea that God does something for us. He gives us this gift. We love Ephesians 28:9. It tells us, 'By grace we've been saved,' and we didn't do it ourselves. We are so grateful. Can't buy it, didn't earn it, don't deserve it. He gives it to us, we accept it.

But we sometimes forget verse 10, which to me, seems to be the lynch pin of what God is saying to you. 'You are God's workmanship, created for something He's already prepared in advance for you to do.' This part of the deal, that you are saved from something for something. We're saved from our sin, our guilt, all those little t-truths we live with, for something, not just to sit around, not just to sit in our small group, pass chips and coffee around. God has something He's prepared in advance for you to do."

You were created for SOMETHING. You have the ability to do something great in this world and God's got it all planned out for you; you just have to choose to accept it. For me, I don’t exactly know what my mission is on Earth, but I do know it involves inspiring others by spreading his good news to everyone through love, kindness and compassion. That in itself is not an easy mission because I'm not going to lie... there's a part of me that doesn't want to share it with EVERYONE, especially with the people who have hurt me. But I don't have the luxury to pick and choose who I give my love to, the same way God continues to love me in my sinful moments when I turn away from him. Obviously, I want so badly to not feel this way, but I pray that God continues to work in my heart, mind and soul to let go of the grudges and just be the kind, compassionate and loving person He wants me to be. It’s an everyday process, but this is part of my calling and I’m choosing to accept it.

What is that something that God has created for you to do? Are you ready for the mission? I pray for you, dear reader. I pray that God continues to guide you by molding and shaping you into the strong man/woman of God he has destined for you to be. In doing so, you can carry out the mission he has planned for you.

Xo