Purposeful

Purposeful * Intentional * Determined * Resolute * Resolved * Single-minded

I have several books on the attributes or characteristics of God. My three are listed at the end. I go through them again and again because I need those reminders of who God is. Everything else flows out of God’s character. Just this past week, I re-read this quote from A.W. Tozer in The Attributes of God Volume 2, “We wonder why we don’t have faith; the answer is, faith is confidence in the character of God and if we don’t know what kind of God God is, we can’t have faith.”

This week as I thought about being purposeful in our faith and interactions with others, I considered how God is purposeful. That attribute isn’t in any of my books, but it is in Scripture, and I think it is important. First, a few verses that speak to God’s purposefulness.

For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him.

Colossians 1:16

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

Job 42:2

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

These are just a few verses that reveal God’s purposefulness in all that He does. From before time, God purposed that Jesus would be born in human form, suffer, die and rise again as atonement for our sin. We know from the account of Joseph in Genesis that God even has purpose in our pain and suffering (Genesis 50:20). Knowing that God is purposeful in every aspect of our lives should give us hope, encouragement and peace. In God’s purposes, nothing is wasted.

As children of God, then, we should likewise be purposeful. There are specific purposes we know from Scripture – we are to glorify God and enjoy Him forever (1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Peter 4:11); that we were created to do good works which God has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10), to fear God and keep His commands (Ecclesiastes 12:13); be ambassadors for Christ. Again, that is not a comprehensive list, but it is a starting point.

As we consider being purposeful, the above verses give us the big picture, but how does that look for my day today? What does it mean specifically to my life?

1. Pray. Ask God each day to be aware of opportunities around you. For those things already on your schedule, ask for help in making the most of those moments. Ask God to open the heart of the cashier at the grocery store on your errand list, the doctor you have an appointment with, your co-worker or family member.

2. Cultivate a single-mindedness.

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14. Paul was focused on his goal. He was purposeful about God’s glory and sharing the Gospel. He put off anything that would hinder his purpose. The writer of Hebrews had a similar mindset in laying aside every weight or sin that would hinder running the race of faith.

What might you need to lay aside to be more purposeful for the glory of God? Is your day so rushed that you can’t even say a thank you, smile or ask how someone is doing? Is fear-of-man ruling your heart? Are you flat out unwilling? Have you had a previous bad experience that holds you back?

3. Plan ahead how you can use the events in your day to glorify God.

Because of all my health issues, I know that my doctors and others may ask how I am. Many times, doctors don’t have answers for my health issues, but I have hope. I know the One who does hold all the answers and the healing if He chooses. At first, it was hard to speak up, but the more I meditated on God’s character in relation to my health, and the more I took those opportunities, the more natural it becomes to share with my doctors and others, but I still purpose to share each visit and to pray that God would use me. Doesn’t mean I don’t get jitters.

If you are getting together with a friend, be ready to share something you have been learning from Scripture. Ask how you can pray for them. Often, we let our time with others be about fun or if we share what is on our heart, it doesn’t include God and how He speaks to our situation. Plan ahead to make God a part of your interaction.

The same goes for that cashier, co-worker or family member. We can purpose to encourage, to smile, to be appreciative. We never know what is going on in someone’s life. Purposing to show kindness and interest may change their day. I was amazed at how God used my Dad’s and my weekly visit to Starbucks to minister to the employees there. It opened the door to share our faith and to pray for them. It started with a smile and thank you.

Don’t wait for good works to spontaneously happen (although sometimes we do a good work spontaneously). Be purposeful in it. Glorifying God will happen when I am loving God and loving others. And that will happen when I am purposefully thinking of how I can do that instead of dwelling solely on my schedule, my comfort zone, my needs.

In our youth group lesson this week, we looked at the account of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. She was so excited about Jesus, that even as an outcast, she immediately returned to her village to tell them about Jesus, and because of her obedience and purposefulness in sharing, many came to hear and believe in Jesus. What a great reminder of how God can use even one act by one person for His greater purposes.

Resources (links below are through my Amazon associate status, so I get a portion of the profit but same price for you):

https://amzn.to/3nZEWc2 (The Attributes of God Volume 1 by A.W. Tozer)

https://amzn.to/2LLJOo1 (The Attributes of God Volume 2 by A.W. Tozer)

https://amzn.to/38WM6ta (God Is: A Devotional Guide to the Attributes of God by Mark Jones)