Created For A Specific Purpose

What I know for sure is we ALL exist because the Creator willed that we exist. Each of us has different skills, abilities and talents to enable us fulfill a specific purpose here on earth.In his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren helps us answer the question \”what on earth am I here for?\” He urges us to live life in light of eternity. He says \”we should be cognisant of our values and use our time and money wisely. We should place a higher premium on relationships and character instead of fame or wealth or achievements. We should also value people more than things.\” 

According to Warren, living life on purpose is the only way to live. Once you discover your life purpose, then the blessings will always flow to allow you to actually do what you were created to do. He postulates that each of us has a unqiue S.H.A.P.E meaning: we have specific spiritual gifts. In addition, we have different passions and these comprise our heart which determines why we feel the way we do about certain things. Similarly, our distinctive abilities or natural talents also play a crucial role. Further that each of us has an inimitable personality which allows us to hone our abilities and fulfill our purpose. Lastly we each have gone through different experiences which form the basis of how we live out our lives.

Another observation that Rick Warren makes in this book is that because we are created for a purpose we should look at life as a temporary assignment or a test. This in effect means we shall be marked according to how we lived our lives here on earth. If you live with this at the back of your mind,  I am sure it will affect the way you behave in a positive way.

However, because the Creator wants all of us to pass life\’s tests he never assigns any of us what we are not going to pass. In fact he gives us the answers to life\’s tests all we have to do is be alert to the clues he gives us. We are told that \” God is faithful he never allows us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. He also always provides a way of escape or endurance\”. This can be interpreted to mean that there is always a purpose behind what we go through in life. Most times our circumstances are used to develop our character.

This week the words of Rick Warren consoled me alot. I have been trying to get a hold of a certain individual because I needed them to give me an answer. My calls were never picked or when they were it was with a response that the person was busy and could not take that call. I waited patiently for the person to return my calls when they had some down time but this did not happen. This got me contemplating, many times people treat others in a certain way because they think the person does not have much to offer them. We forget that today you may be on the receiving side but tomorrow it may be you on the begging side. Let us remember that the Golden Rule or the law of reciprocity requires that we treat others as we would wish to be treated.

Another thing that stood out for me in this book is how we live. Unfortunately in the world today it is all about \’showing off\’. The person who puts up the best show takes the day whether it is a celebrity or an ordinary person. The fact that we now have social media makes it even worse people are living beyond their means just so they can fit into what society demands of them. The result is often a pretentious showy life that is empty. Anyone who knows me has heard me say \”keep things simple and live within your means\”. In order to live a life of fulfillment and purpose we have to be ready to be different after all, \”we are IN the world but we are not OF the world\”. 

The onus will always be upon us to do the work and discover what is our life purpose. This post living-purposefully has more about what we can do to discover our life purpose.

This week, the assignment is for you to take time and consider this question, \”what on earth am I here for?\”  have you come to the realisation that you were created for a purpose? If so what do you feel is your life purpose? Let us continue the discussion in the comments section.

For the months of July and August we shall continue reviewing various books that have been helpful on my journey to living a fulfilled life.