Only God Knows...

In February 1980, the U.S. Olympic hockey team slipped its foot into a glass slipper and walked away with a gold medal at Lake Placid, New York. Those collegians had shocked the world by upsetting the powerful Soviet team, and then they grabbed the championship from Finland while the crowd chanted, "U.S.A.!"

Before his team's victory over the Soviet Union which advanced them to the finals, the coach of the U.S. hockey team told his players, "You are born to be a player. You are meant to be here at this time. This is your moment."   -Today in the Word, July, 1990, p. 11.

All of us, at one time or another, have wondered, "What's my purpose in life?" There are those of us who have felt a deep sense of purpose since early childhood. For others, they may discover their purpose later on in life. Of course, it really doesn't matter when it becomes apparent. The important thing is that we all have been given a purpose for being here, at this particular time. It's a purpose that was determined before we were born (Psalm 139:16).

God created you. You were uniquely made by Him. There is no one else like you. God knows us intimately. He knew our beginning, and He knows our ending. Make no mistake. the Lord has always known what you could be and do. Thus, God has a purpose, or reason for you. Think of it as your destiny. "What is my destiny?" you ask. It's simply this: destiny is God's purpose for your life. It's your ordained future. Destiny is what God, in His divine will, has predetermined us to be, and become.

Certainly, we may reach the culmination of our profession, or be acclaimed as the best in the world at a specific sport, skill, craft, etc., according to a given benchmark. However, unless we steadfastly factor God into our lives and strive to love and serve Him with all our heart, we have not reached our full effectiveness.

Each one of us is born into situations which contain features that are both good and bad. All of us will face varying levels of goodness and evil; just as everyone will face the actuality of life and death. God created you, equipped, and then infused you with His Holy Spirit in order to face these situations. And, along with His help and guidance, we will transform from death to life, evil to good, and bad to best.

Friends, only God knows the limits of our potential. We are finite beings and don't have the capability to grasp everything that God has planned for us. No one can fully understand the deepness of His love, the help that He longs to give, or the blessings and rewards that He has arranged for us.

Thus, if you've ever wondered why you're here on this earth, i.e., "What's my purpose in life?" understand that God has placed you here as a distinctive person with an exclusive purpose intended for establishing and extending His kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven." Your potential lies securely and completely in that purpose.

Clearly, our purpose on this earth is to develop our God-given gifts, talents, and abilities to their fullest potential so we can influence the world around us for Christ. Accordingly, no one can reach his, or her potential without the Father's help, or apart from our God-given talents and gifts. Pray and ask Him to give you direction as to your particular purpose here.

Above all, always remember, it doesn't matter how much you may have already achieved, your level of expertise, education, or even your age; there's still so much more that God has for you to be and do!

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11; Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 8:28; Proverbs 16:9; 1 Corinthians 2:9

Prayer:  Dear Lord, what is Your will that I do? I am completely open to Your plan for me. I desire to live only in You and to be guided by You forever. Grant that Your holy will may be carried out perfectly in me. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Amaris