Tag: Christian Purpose

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The Dopamine Experience

The dopamine experience, the runner’s high; gambling, extreme sports, or even drugs like cocaine and methamphetamines provide an emotional thrill. They all give us a sense of being bulletproof and invisible. It is like learning to fly without learning to land. The takeoff is exhilarating, but the ground is somewhat unforgiving, as are the consequences of unbridled emotions.

Ethereal Experience

The easiest approach to life is to let go, abandon all pretense, and allow your emotions to take over. There is something ethereal about not overanalyzing the moment. It can be momentarily euphoric to stop fighting the urge. It is a thrill-seeking behavior where anger triggers dopamine reward receptors in the brain. One of our great struggles is to build a wall between the person we are and the person God made us to be. At the moment, the person we are seems much more attractive than the person God wants.

James 1:20, "for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God."

Early in my adolescence, I didn’t understand the addictive nature of anger. I was a dopamine addict. Anger became its reward; the final consequences were always destructive, yet I followed the impulses in the moment without regard for them. Weirdly, I perceived the consequences as a result of the other person’s reaction, not my action. I was the victim.

The best revenge is to be unlike the one who performed the injustice. –  Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

We understand the implications of rage, but I think we underestimate its destructive characteristics. Anger is more subtle and less evil. It ebbs and flows with the circumstances of the day. Saint Augustine stated, “Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” Anger is a slow-acting poison; the changes are driven from within, and it is hard for the angry person to notice.

Ephesians 4:26, "Be angry, and yet do not sin."

We all get angry; it is a visceral reaction to what we perceive as injustice. It is that instantaneous impulse to react, to do something. In that dopamine rush, the question is, what? It is tough to overcome our instincts. We are not rational; we are emotional. How do we change that momentum into positive change? It does not happen by resisting the urge but by redirecting it.

Proverbs 19:11, "A man's discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression."

Redirecting

We are become a more unforgiving society. We have our truth, and you have yours, but yours is wrong. I am less and less amazed by people who will stand their ground in light of the onslaught of facts to the contrary. We become so emotionally invested in a position we can not fathom an opposing view. Any fact that disagrees with my position is a lie, a fabrication, and fake news. There is only one truth.

Psalm 8:6, "You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet."

Redirecting our emotions is about reevaluating our perception of that truth. God oversees all things. That truth has the power to overcome any obstacle. I do not have to defend my position or even be right concerning my opinion. God has the final decision. If my position contradicts God, it will fail, even if I prevail in my argument. If my position is consistent with God’s will, it will happen whether others agree.

Read Acts 5:34-39, where Gamaliel says, “For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”


The way to redirect anger is to believe that God is behind everything that happens. You do not have to protect yourself from injustice; God will in his time. The timing may not be to our wants, but we don’t have control over it. The underlying feelings of weakness, insecurity, and lack of control are our perceptions, not reality. We can walk away knowing that the God we worship has this. It is not about being right or wrong but about accepting God’s dominion.

Final Decision

That is not to say that we shouldn’t speak to injustice; it is to say that it is not ours to achieve. God’s plan for us may intersect with a particular injustice, but the timing and outcome are still His. Your part is to mirror Christ; His part is to bring about changed hearts and souls.

Ephesians 4:31-32, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."
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The Man in the Mirror or the Man Behind it

My thoughts today began with deciding whether I was the man in the mirror or the man behind it. We have all seen the detective TV shows where the suspect is in the interrogation room, and there is always a mirror on one wall. Both the suspect and the investigator know this is a two-way mirror. The suspects can only see themselves, but on the other side is a mysterious someone watching them. The man in front of the mirror is introspective, the man behind the mirror is judgmental. As I think about the arduous task of loving the unlovable, I realize I must stop being the man behind the mirror and become the man in front of it. I must stop thinking I am the mysterious stranger judging others when I am the suspect seeing myself.

Matthew 7:12, "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

I can only manage myself. It is God who manages others. It is He who changes hearts and mends broken souls. To many of the people I interact with, I am the arduous task they must perform. So, the beginning is to understand how I would like others to interact with me and then turn that around to understand how I should interact with them.

Being Me

When I am being me, I often stray. Sometimes, I am too preoccupied with my problem to focus on yours; I have an appointment or a call to make. Other times, rather than listening, I want to talk: OK, I understand the problem; here is the answer; let us move on. What may seem earth-shattering to you comes across as trivial to me because I will not experience the aftermath. I become frustrated because you keep talking when I am interrupting. The man in front of the mirror sees a man on a mission; he is focused. The mysterious person behind the mirror sees someone uncaring and self-centered.

2 Timothy 2:24, "And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil."

There is a term non sequitur; it refers to a statement or inference that is not logically related to the previous context. When people think about themselves and disengage from the conversation, their responses can be non-sequitur. They seem out of the blue, as if the person you are talking with is having a separate conversation. That, my friends, is the first warning sign of the unlovable. That, at times, is me.

Acceptance

None knows the weight of another’s burden. – George Herbert

Dragging me back to reality is not an easy task. After all, if I’m not engaged with your current problems and have become one of them, how do you reengage me? It is not through criticism or judgment. That will only make me defensive. The entire conversation will spiral out of control, and no one will walk away happy. The answer is acceptance.

Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

I have found that when most people get upset, it has less to do with the current environment than previous actions that have finally come to a head. What preoccupies their thoughts is not the person in front of them but something else. Accepting that we are not the center of someone else’s universe is critical to understanding them. Everyone is juggling multiple situations and opportunities. I want people to understand that about me. I want you to know that I care about you but am conflicted by the world around me. It is not that I don’t care; it is, at the moment, not convenient to care. That is selfish and self-centered, but it happens.

Acknowledge, with compassion and love, that I am distracted. Could you help me prioritize my thinking? I may think my problem is more significant or timelier than yours. It may only seem that way because it is mine. When you care about me, I start caring about you.

Colossians 3:12, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."

The Ethics of Reciprocity

Luke 6:31, "Do to others as you would have them do to you."

We started talking about about the man in front of or behind the mirror. Now I must switch places. If I want you to accept me for who I am and integrate that person into the conversation, I must do the same for you. I must set aside my agenda for a minute and allow you to express yourself. I must accept that this conversation has more to do with the past than the present. You will start caring about me only after I have shown that I care about you.

Galatians 6:2, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

It is sometimes called an ethics of reciprocity. But I prefer to say it is the natural behavior of someone who lives with God at the center of their life. I must understand that I am in that interrogation room with a stranger behind the mirror every moment of every day. I am either drawing them closer to Christ or pushing them away. People I will never engage with will see my behavior and decide. But am I acting in the way I do to avoid condemnation, or is it because God’s love for me has changed my love for humankind? Is it reciprocity, or is it the natural state of my being? It is a daily struggle for most people because it is reciprocity: am I getting value for my effort? To indeed have a Godly heart is a manifestation of who you are.

Philippians 2:1-3, "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."
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We Were Born to Thrive

We Were Born to Thrive is the title of Casting Crowns song. I love the context of their message. God made us for more than ordinary lives. How true. This thinking is the type that raises the average person above the din of everyday life. It is an attitude that helps us live as conquerors rather than victims. I met a lovely teenage girl on the airplane flight back from Honduras. She was reading “1984”. I found it interesting that one of today’s teenagers reading something philosophical. We got to talking about seizing opportunities. God will continue to give us opportunities to excel, but we must seize them. To do that takes courage and faith.

Proverbs 19:8, “He who cherishes understanding prospers.”

Thrive or Survive

Over almost three-quarters of a century here on earth, I have noticed one major difference between those who thrive and those who survive. Those who thrive are constantly looking for new opportunities to exploit. They are in tune with God’s purpose in their lives, and they seek challenges. They see failure as a learning experience. Those who spend their lives surviving are more likely to play life safe. God must hit them over the head several times to get them to move. Failure is a wrong turn or a waste of effort; it is a mistake to be avoided.

Proverbs 14:23, “Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!”

God created us to thrive. This idea is not prosperity-gospel; it is spiritual awareness. It is not thriving in worldly fortune and fame but in the spiritual sense of peace, compassion, and love. Worldly prosperity is yours by default if you can achieve those three things. Conventional wisdom is not about what you make but what you spend. God’s economy includes who you spend it on and with.

Proverbs 11:25, “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”

Even in Darkness

Lauren Daigle talks about how every decision God has put in front of her has led her to where she is today. At sixteen, God had given her a vision of her future. Just as it was starting, COVID shut it down. She recalls 560 days of silence and loneliness—the disappointment was suffocating. God always said to hold it loosely. Her eyes lost sight of who was most important. Now she sings to please Him, to bask in His presence, and success has followed.

Psalms 42:8, “By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.”

Lauren Daigle – You Say

The path forward is not always straight, level, or wide. But the path forward, as directed by God, is the easiest. To truly thrive, we must seize the opportunities He has given us. They are not always easy, and they don’t always make sense. Disappointment will raise its ugly head. Challenges won’t make sense. But they are part of a bigger plan that God has prepared for you in advance. For us to live to our potential is to live for Him.

Conquerors

We are conquerors. We have an army of angelic hosts guarding our backside and God Himself leading us. Wars are fought on the battlefield of life, not in the boardrooms. To win is to have the courage to follow Jesus and seize the opportunities He has presented you. Do not leave this spinning blue orb as something less than God made you. Don’t just go through life; live it as God intended.

Ecclesiastes 3:13, “And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.”

Your life should be a symbolic throne for God to sit on. Don’t look around at what God has done in your life and think you earned it, deserve it, or are entitled to it. Stay humble on the backside of all that God will do through you. Compassion, peace, and love will be yours.

Psalm 122:6, “They shall prosper that love you.”
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A Truer Version of Ourselves

A truer version of ourselves should be the goal of every believer. It is the drive within us to be something we do not quite understand. It is a paradox, a puzzle: a fuzzy image of who we could be if we could stop being who we are.

A speaker at a conference made this statement: “We are being remade into a truer image ourselves.” That sentence echoed through my brain for several days. It summed up my struggle. As I move from who I made myself into being toward what God made me, I am transforming into the person God has always wanted me to be. What an incredible thought.

Jeremiah 31:3, “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”

 Chrysalis

Within God’s protective casing, He radically transforms who we are.

We struggle for our identity, yet it is already within us; we need to find it. Years ago, I wanted to hike the Estelle Mine Train trail in northeast Georgia. I wanted to travel it because it followed the route of an old narrow gauge mine train that went from Pigeon Mountain, through seven tunnels, to what was once Estelle, Georgia. I thought it would be neat to hike the tunnels. Once on the trail, I realized this “right of way” hadn’t been used since 1924. The tunnels shrouded by time had their entrances partially covered by rock slides and overgrowth. Finding the tunnels took some effort and determination. I had a map and the stories from the internet of the hike. Even with all of that, some were almost impossible to find.

God gives us the map, and He gives us the stories in the Bible, but finding a truer version of ourselves is still hard to achieve. In my case, I try too hard. I feel that God’s actual plan for me is massive and mysterious. It is a grand puzzle I must solve. To get the prize, I must endure, overcome, and remain steadfast, all the superlatives we hear in church. Finding my one true self is the ultimate goal of being a Christian and following Christ. Without sacrifice, it has no value. That’s crazy talk.

Psalm 143:10, “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

Imaginal Discs

They are the highly organized groups of resources needed to become who God made us to be.

The challenging part is to be calm, immersed in scripture and prayer, and listen to God’s voice. It is a whisper in the night. It is the nudge that will not go away and the itch that needs to be scratched.

There is a variation of a great quote from CS Lewis that I love: “Give me the longing the scent of a flower I have not found, the echo of a tune I have not heard, and a grace so powerful it changes all the lives I touch” CS Lewis’ quote ended with “and news from a country I have not yet visited” in place of “and a grace so powerful it changes all the lives I touch” The quote I use here came from a Christian work of fiction that I no longer remember and can’t find a reference. I see a grace so powerful in my mind that it changes all the lives I touch as if it were supernatural radiation of pure white light that illuminates everything upon which it falls.

I hope you can think of the imagery: the scent of a flower I have not found… the echo of a tune I have not heard…., and the struggle we feel to find our true selves. The struggle is in the unquenchable desire to be that person. Every fiber of our being longs for it. It is what God made us before we existed. And yet we know it not.

Butterflies

Just like the Butterfly, God created the transformation from a chrysalis to achieve His desired results. The Butterfly does not get to choose; it is simply obedient to the call.

Part of finding and living our purpose is quieting our minds to hear God speak. He gives us all the breadcrumbs through passion, skills, opportunity, and resources. But to apply all of this to His kingdom takes direction. That direction comes from God through scripture, prayer, and council.

Matthew 11:30, “For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

You don’t have to reinvent yourself to be a truer version of yourself. It is not a monumental task that takes years to achieve. God has made you to be that person. He has instilled greatness in each of us. But it must be His greatness, not ours.

“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”  – Napoleon Hill.

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Peter Went Fishing

Peter went fishing.  Sometimes, that is the best thing to do.

John 21:3, "Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing." "We'll come, too," they all said.  So they went out in the boat."

I listened to a sermon last Easter, and this verse stood out.  I thought, how human of Peter.  It is interesting what we do to clarify our thinking; we gravitate to our comfort zone.

After Christ’s Crucifixion, He appeared to the disciples in the upper room to receive the holy spirit.  Even though the disciples, Peter included, saw Jesus alive and touched the scars, it didn’t seem real.  The disciples were heartbroken and disillusioned.  They thought they had followed the savior of the world only to see Him crucified.  How would a dead man, resurrected or not, free them from Roman rule?  They didn’t know what was next.  They knew Christ was the beginning of something great but didn’t understand what that was.

John 6:15, "Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew again to the hillside by himself."

Peter did what we all do: gravitate back to what we know.  We find busy work to occupy our time until we figure out what’s next.

HOW DOES GOD USE THESE MOMENTS

Interestingly, this passage brought back two memories for Peter: good and not-so-good. First, the good: Peter first met Jesus when he was fishing.  He had fished all night, not caught anything, and Jesus asked him to throw his net again.  Jesus’ request of Peter was precisely what happened the second time when Peter went fishing after the Crucifixion. The second memory is Jesus cooking fish over a charcoal fire on the beach.  Peter might have remembered the last time he smelled a charcoal fire; he denied Christ three times.

I firmly believe God does not waste energy; everything has a purpose.  When Peter was at his lowest point, God returned two essential images.  The first was the joy of meeting Jesus and his immediate dedication to Him.  This image had to lift his spirits.  The second was the image of his weakness.  It was a backward glimpse of what the world would be like if Peter didn’t believe.  It brought back all of the pain he felt when that rooster crowed.

I can’t speak for Peter, but for me, it would have reinforced why I have to hold on to the goodness of Christ’s promise and run from my weaknesses.  It would be both a push and a pull: push away from doubt, pull closer to faith.

WHAT TO DO WHEN LIFE DOESN’T SEEM FAIR

James 1:3, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."

“No matter what storm you face, you need to know that God loves you. He has not abandoned you.” – Franklin Graham.

We tend to go fishing.  We want to break away from the uncertainty and draw close to something we know and understand.  That is OK for a time, but it doesn’t produce results like Peter.  It is nothing more than a temporary holding place to regroup.

Like Peter, we need to be reminded of the past.  We need to remind ourselves of the great things God has done for us and through us.  The glory of the past leads us toward the future.  We also need to be reminded of what it is like to deny Christ.  As dark as the world can seem, it is nothing compared to separation from Christ.  To live without hope has to be the darkness within darkness.

Romans 8:35, "Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"

HAPPY ENDINGS

Christ built His church on the rock named Peter.  If you are willing, He will raise you out of the malaise of your life.  He will use all you have gone through to create an even brighter future than you could have imagined.

Matthew 16:18, "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

God may not create a worldwide revival through you, but what He will build through you, the gates of Hades, will not overcome it. The power you have at your disposal is incredible; we sometimes lose that. When things don’t go as we think they should, we forget the redeeming power of Christ’s resurrection.

Whenever you feel the darkness closing in, remember Peter.  You and Peter have a lot in common.

John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world, you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
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A Testimony to Anger

This is a testimony to anger and a path to a better life. This post is my personal journey with anger, from being consumed by it to finding love instead. I used to be fiercely angry, aimless, and dangerous. Picture an energized metal ball bouncing unpredictably through the lives of others. That was me—without direction, without control. My anger lost its origin over time; there was a trigger once, but it faded, leaving behind only a lingering sense of rage. It became my identity. I know this because I lived it throughout my teenage years and early adulthood. My anger was pervasive, coloring everything I saw and did. I couldn’t satisfy it; it constantly craved more fuel, whether it was a perceived slight, a sideways glance, or a hint of condescension.

Proverbs 29:11, "Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end."

Others tried to offer assistance, but I stubbornly refused to listen. In my mind, the problem wasn’t my anger; it was everyone else’s foolishness. I believed it was their issue to deal with, not mine. Reconciling with the root cause of my anger seemed futile because it had long ceased to exist. My expression of frustration wasn’t always through overt anger; it mostly manifested as sarcasm, skepticism, or a tendency to take the opposite stance.

“To be angry about trifles is mean and childish; to rage and be furious is brutish; and to maintain perpetual wrath is akin to the practice and temper of devils; but to prevent and suppress rising resentment is wise and glorious, is manly and divine.” – Isaac Watts.

What Changed

My job required me to interface with construction workers. I was visiting a job site when a Control Foreman took me aside. We walked over to his pickup truck. He opened the passenger side door and then the glove compartment. After which, he pulled out a silver revolver, not to threaten me or try to intimidate me; he just made a statement. He told me I was an adult, and if I couldn’t find a way to control my anger, one of these would be my end. Someone could be desperate enough to do the unthinkable. I was angry, not stupid; I understood. I had to change.

Ecclesiastes 7:9, "Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools."

The transformation was gradual, spanning over many years. Initially, I didn’t focus on suppressing my anger but rather on controlling how I expressed it. Despite the turmoil within, I managed to hold back the words that would have otherwise poured out in frustration. Yet, this approach felt draining and unsustainable. I knew there had to be a more effective solution.

Turning to the Bible was a decision born out of necessity rather than religious fervor. Though I had been baptized in my youth, my understanding of its teachings was minimal. My intention wasn’t to seek salvation but rather to find a practical solution to my inner turmoil. I committed to reading its cover every year for eight years, drawn to its wealth of wisdom on navigating life (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, for example). Even if Jesus were merely a fictional character, the advice attributed to him was undeniably thought-provoking and insightful.

Matthew 5:22, "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment."

What Really Changed

The actual testimony to my anger transformation started slowly with a book by Lee Strobel entitled “The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus.” Strobel methodically goes through the historical test used to validate any ancient text. These are the same criteria used on all historical documents to validate the authenticity of their writing. Lee Strobel was an atheistic former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune. He challenged a dozen experts with doctorates from schools like Cambridge, Princeton, and Brandeis concerning their evidence concerning the New Testament. He concluded that the New Testament was accurate and historically true. Christ walked the face of the earth. His death and resurrection happened. The miracles were not make-believe.

Now I had a decision to make. What is my response if everything written in the New Testament is historically true and Jesus did what is written to have done? It was one of the watershed moments in my life. I needed to go to church. I needed the input of others to understand my new revelation better.

What is Still Changing

Colossians 1:16, "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him."

The change that is still going on in my life is that I now understand that God cares for me as an individual, not as part of a collective whole. He created me uniquely and specifically for the purpose He has for me. His will can not be denied or thwarted. I do not have to defend myself; He will do it for me. He has ultimate control. People do not offend me; they offend Him and His creation.

Ephesians 4:26,  “In your anger do not sin"

Even now, the lingering testament to my struggle with anger is my persistent quest for control. This misplaced desire often leads to frustration, igniting the familiar flame of anger within me. I’ve come to recognize that this aspect of my personality is part of how God has designed me. However, I’ve also gained insight into the purpose and meaning behind my anger. It serves as a signal, indicating when I’ve strayed from God’s intended path for my life. In those moments, I take a deep breath, seek forgiveness through prayer, and endeavor to realign myself with His will. Only by surrendering to His purpose can I truly find peace within.

For those of you who struggle with anger, I pray that God gives you the courage to surrender to His will and reap the peace that comes with that surrender. 

Ephesians 1:4-6, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves."
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God-Given Gifts

God-given gifts, do we understand the difference between Spiritual gifts and natural gifts? Do we think they are the same? An interesting discussion came up the other day, and it was a subject that seemed so intuitive that I’d never brought it up. What is intuitive to me may not be to someone else—an example. I saw an article in an outdoor magazine (ezine); it showed a tree with a yellow, blue, and red paint stripe. The headline said (paraphrase), “Knowing what this means can save your life.” My initial thought was, if you don’t know what that means, what are you doing in the woods? Then, I recalled that I was not born with that knowledge; someone else gave it to me at some point.

1 Corinthians 2:12, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.”

God prepares leaders with a specific place and task in mind. Training methods are adapted to the mission, and natural and spiritual gifts are given with a clear purpose. – J. Oswald Sanders

Natural Gifts

I spend many waking hours thinking about and talking to others about living within God’s purpose for our lives. It is the most critical aspect of finding happiness, purpose, and meaning. When I think about the elements of my design and the story God has written about my life, I think of talent, passion, resources, opportunities, and experiences. God provides these building blocks as mileposts on our journey, our God-given natural gifts. But we have a choice on how to use them. We can use them to help others and glorify Christ, or we can use them for worldly success and fame. Only one of those will bring happiness, purpose, and meaning; the other leads to hunger.

1 Corinthians 2:14, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”

I’ve mentioned before that the Bushman of the Kalahari Desert has a saying: There are two hungers: the little hunger for food and the great hunger for meaning. We spend most of our lives feeding the little hunger while the great hunger starve. In many cases, we use our God-given natural gifts to chase self-interest to satisfy the great hunger. When we do not achieve a sense of meaning, we try harder. We lead a life of quiet desperation, sometimes cloaked in worldly success. Eventually, the great hunger dies of neglect.

Spiritual Gifts

Your spiritual gifts were not given for your own benefit but for the benefit of others, just as other people were given gifts for your benefit. – Rick Warren

The magic sauce is Spiritual Gifts. Spiritual gifts are divine enablements for ministry given by the Holy Spirit. It is what God brings to you once you come to know Him. The God-given spirit inside you comes alive. It guides you to another level of awareness. You become less self-focused and more other-focused. But what is different about Spiritual gifts than natural gifts?

1 Corinthians 12:7, “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

Spiritual gifts are the God-given gifts that the Spirit bestows on us so that we can expand God’s Kingdom. In 1 Corinthians, it mentions apostles, second prophets, third teachers, miracles, gifts of healing, helping, guidance, and different kinds of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:28, “And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.”

I think of it this way: more conventionally. Some of us are very good at memorizing and recalling Bible verses; some are very good at heart-to-heart conversations; maybe storytelling is your thing; others are good public speakers or teachers. We should use these gifts to expand the Kingdom within our natural gifts. If your vocation and talent is teaching in a school system, do you use it to teach at church? Is public speaking an aspect of your job? Do you also use it to spread the Gospel on mission trips, locally or internationally? If you are a project manager at work, do you use it to help plan Christian outreach?

Another source of information on Spiritual Gifts is Tim Keller’s explanation, “Decerning and Exercising Spiritual Gifts.”

The Blessing and the Curse

I was given my first management position at 14, detasselling corn. You must have lived on a large midwestern United States farm to know what that is, but it’s irrelevant to the story. It seemed that I eventually managed people in almost every job I have had. Sometimes, I thought it was my curse; I liked being a worker bee. When I left work, I wanted to be given a job and left alone to do it. But that wasn’t God’s plan for me. Once I accepted that it was one of my natural and spiritual gifts, I started seeking to be good at it, which made me like it. It didn’t take long before I led a mission trip and helped to organize volunteers. My natural gift was also one of my Spiritual gifts when I applied it to expanding the Kingdom. We can have more than one.

Romans 12:6, “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly.”

I know some teachers want to get away from teaching outside of school; I get that. But if your spiritual gift is teaching, teach others about Christ, find a way. If you are a nurse, a very demanding job, looking after people when not working may not be in your wheelhouse. If compassion is your Spiritual gift, find a way to use it.

In Summary

Your natural and spiritual gifts do not have to be used similarly. Doing something repetitively will make you proficient but may not indicate your actual natural gift. The desire to make more money can lead us to proficiencies in ungifted areas. I know a lot of managers or “leaders” who are not gifted; they have just done the job long enough to get promoted.

We all have God-given attributes bestowed on us at our creation that we can use as we wish. A great secular songwriter is a great songwriter because of God’s natural gift. We must overlay our natural gifts with our Spiritual gifts to glorify God.

Start where you are, do anything you can do, and do everything you can until you find something you must do! That something is probably your spiritual gift. – Jim George

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Give a Man a Fish

Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day; teach him to fish and eat for a lifetime. These words seem Christ-like; one would think they were a biblical principle. Because the New Testament is grounded in the lives of the disciples and many fishermen, it seems natural that this would have a Biblical perspective. But it is not. Chinese philosopher Confucius is said to have penned these words, but no record exists. This phrase has been my mantra since creating my first company. It has always seemed like the right way to do things.

Philippians 2:4: “Let each of you look not only to his interests but also to the interests of others.”

Give a Man a Fish

 In the book “When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor… and Yourself,” This helping stage is called relief; it provides immediate assistance or charity to address immediate suffering. One of the biggest mistakes Western cultures make when helping others is providing relief when they need rehabilitation. Why does Western culture do this? Well, it is easier and faster.

Think of an experience you have had in your town. It is easier to give someone a few dollars for food than to help them find a job. Worse yet, help them acquire a skill that leads to a job. By doing something, we avoid the guilt of doing nothing. When you meet an immediate need, you see the relief on their faces: instant gratification. You can go back to your home knowing you made a difference.

The problem is that someone will need to eat again and again. Life is uncertain, and there is no guarantee that you or someone like you will be there for the next meal.

1 John 3:17, “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”

There always exists a need for relief. It is typically short-term and specific. A tsunami hits a remote village, wiping out its infrastructure. Water, food, and electricity are all required quickly to serve the inflicted. There is a time to give a man a fish, but it should be while you teach them to fish for themselves.

Teach a Man to Fish

Ephesians 4:2, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”

Self-respect is the most important gift you give to someone. In Regi Campell’s book Radical Wisdom, Regi says, “Give a man a dime a day for thirty days, then stop. He will resent you for the rest of your life.” This quote seems like an overstatement, but the intent is genuine. Give a person a better standard of living, then take away the support and see what happens.

In the book, “When Helping Hurts…” this stage of helping is called rehabilitation. It emphasizes the importance of education, empowerment, and self-sufficiency. Instead of relying on external help, teaching someone a skill (in this case, fishing) enables the recipient to fend for themselves in the long run. It promotes independence, sustainability, and the ability to meet future needs without continual external assistance.

It gives people a life with their heads held high. It gives them the self-respect needed to carry on. But it has a price greater than money. It requires a long-term plan, volunteers who will return over the months or years, willing local participants, and patience. We are a quick-fix society; we don’t play the long game. Our donors want to see results.

Romans 15:1, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”

The Fisherman Teaching Others

When a person who has learned how to fish decides to teach others, you have the material for long-term change for the better. The last stage is development. John F. Kennedy is credited with saying, “All ships rise on the same tide.” he may have taken it from a New England Chamber of Commerce slogan. An interconnectedness of people or entities within a community, society, or economy requires teamwork to grow. The larger the middle class, the more robust the economy. As each community member becomes self-reliant, the whole community becomes self-reliant. In many cases, these communities start reaching out to other communities. The program becomes viral.

If you are going to help, really help. Don’t create a co-dependency. It is easy to become an idol in someone’s eyes if their need for you is strong enough.

Matthew 25:35-40, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, I was naked, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you visited me, I was in prison, and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

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Understanding and Pursuing God’s Plan

One of our most important challenges is how to pursue God’s plan for our lives. It is not easy to understand its origin and journey. I was having a conversation with a friend of mine from Honduras. We talked about her children and the life decisions they are facing. Her children are young adults. The challenge is figuring out their path in life. They each have passion but do not feel their passions are their purpose.

A point of reference: In Genesis 13, Abram gave Lot the choice of any land. Lot chose the well-watered, fertile land, but with it came Sodom. Abram took the less attractive but with God’s blessing. When we make choices, don’t look at the most attractive; seek guidance from the Lord.

Understanding our Purpose

Understanding purpose is an exciting subject. One can follow a dream that is not part of God’s plan created for them and find success from a worldly standard. I know that from experience. When driving myself along a worldly path, I achieved reasonable success regarding money, power, and position, but I was never content. I was using all the skills and resources provided by God, but not for their intended purpose. This pursuit left a hole in my life that no level of success could fill. This hole drove me to higher levels of worldly success as I attempted to reach satisfaction. With all my success, I did not have meaning and purpose; I had a vocation that I had become good at. A small caveat: just because you are good at something does not mean it is your God-given purpose in life. It might mean that you have done it so long that you have learned to do it proficiently.

Colossians 1:16, “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.”

In the book Discovering Our Spiritual Identity by Trevor Hudson, he discusses the concept of being created for God and God’s pleasure. I’ve always viewed the concept of God’s pleasure as the macro-level cloud that all Christians should strive to achieve. The concept is that we have lived a life that pleases God, or we haven’t. Hudson’s concept is that we are created uniquely, within that greater concept, for a specific pleasure God has foreseen. The idea is that when he created us, he instilled in us a purpose that pointed directly toward something that pleased Him. Each of us is part of a tapestry that displays an image pleasing to God, but we each have our specific element within the overall picture.

Sustainability

Several concerns always arise when we try to understand God’s plan for ourselves. The first is, can it sustain us? If our passion is writing, painting, public speaking, music, or whatever, can we make a living at it? What kind of kingdom impact could we have if it does not sustain us? In a modern world, this is always a valid question. What good is a passion if it can not support the person with the passion? The passion dies out.

A couple of things come to mind when I hear this; the first is that Paul was a tent maker. Paul sustained his ministry by making tents. Regardless of our life purpose, we may sometimes have to make tents.

Acts 18:3-5, “They made tents for a living. Paul did the same kind of work, so he stayed with them, and they worked together.”

Tent-making is about sustaining ourselves to pursue our God-directed passion and purpose. We may make tents all our lives or during a transition period, but we all have tent-making seasons.

The second is that when we pursue God’s will, He will give us resources. When I look for a mechanic to work on my car, I look for someone passionate about cars. I want someone who will look after my property as if it were his own. He will fix my car correctly, not because I ask, but because it is his passion.

When you chase God’s plan for your life, people will gravitate to you because of your passion. That is not to say you will achieve success as the world defines success, but that you will have an impact that dwarfs worldly success.

Philippians 4:19, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

God does not send you down a path unprepared. He wants you to succeed, and He would not have given you purpose if that purpose was to fail.

Trials

John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Even as Christ was part of the triune God and understood His mission, he still found it challenging. Christ was part of the Godhead that knew at creation that His sacrifice was required to save man, yet He prayed that it would pass from Him; Christ was part man.

Mark 14:36, “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Do not think that chasing God’s passion for your life will be painless; it will not. There will be times of doubt, anxiety, and depression. We live in a fallen world. The last thing Satan wants is for you to be part of God’s pleasure.

1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.”

The only reassurance I can give you from a worldly perspective is my own experience. During my worldly success, I never felt I was making a difference in my life, my family’s, or the world. I was not living; I was existing. I was treading water, waiting for the end. Now, I have meaning and purpose. I do not worry about my success; I worry about obedience. I am not transformed out of this world; I must still deal with worldly issues. But I am secure in that I have a legacy, yet unseen by me, but still existing through eternity.

Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
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Do We live for God or With God?

Do we live for God or with God? We all go through seasons of doubt. It is those times when we think God does not love us enough to carry us through. We feel we have let Him down, or maybe we are too disappointing for Him to care about us. God has said our salvation is free for the asking but is love? We desire the unbounded, incredible, fill-me-until-burst love that gives our life meaning and purpose. It is validation that we matter.

Acts 4:12, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

I, like everyone else, go through those times. I used to live a life entirely dedicated to myself. It wasn’t a conscious decision; it was life in a broken world. I am a high type “A” personality. I like rhythm and cadence in my life. Plan your work, work your plan. When I lived for myself, I thought I had a good idea of my destination. I knew the point on the horizon I was driving toward; at least, I thought I did. When I didn’t see progress, I could analyze my plan, adjust, and move forward. I got stuck occasionally, but I understood where I was. I just needed to determine the next step. Life was not easy, but it was understandable. I was raised that I was never a victim except for my own actions. I was the captain of my destiny.

Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

Introspection

Then Christ came into my life. He lifted the burden of achievement from my life, giving me permission and acceptance when I felt I hadn’t achieved my potential. He gave me a purpose greater than myself. But He is an invisible God. God’s ways are always true and right; they are the very definition of His existence. It is my perception of that truth that haunts me. If I get what I want, when I want, I am blessed. When God’s timing or direction isn’t what I expect, I have lost His favor or disappointed Him somehow. But God is always true and right.

Hebrews 6:10, “God always does what is right. He will not forget the work you did to help the Christians and the work you are still doing to help them. This shows your love for Christ.”

For me, this year is a year of introspection. Not the easy kind that can be achieved through a few kind words and determination. It is the hard kind, full of self-doubt, deep dives into my wants and desires, requiring me to deal with my emotions, emotions I would prefer to leave dormant. It took time and effort to bury these deep inside me even more effort to bring them back to life.

Living For God

“The sin underneath all our sins is to trust the lie of the serpent that we cannot trust the love and grace of Christ and must take matters into our own hands” ~ Martin Luther.

It started with a simple question: Do I live for God or with God? Living for God is easy to understand. It is following all the laws, being kind and compassionate, and going on mission trips, doing everything I think would make God love me more. It is me trying to make a partial payment of the cost of my salvation.

Deuteronomy 6:17, “You should diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you.”

Living for God believes that God has a credit system that allows for the ebb and tide of His emotions toward us. It believes that salvation is free to all who believe in Christ’s redemptive power, but love is different. Love is something that I must earn through behavior. It proves to God that I love Him; therefore, He can feel free to love me. Living for God makes us feel good at times and rejected at other times. Mission trips earn us credits and angry words debits. It is the quid pro quo of Christianity.

That is my life. What is my motivation? Do I do what I do because it is true and right?

Living With God

Living with God is being in synch with His desires. It is doing what we do because it is who we are. God cannot love us more. His love is unconditional. God’s love for us is pure, without constraint, and beyond our understanding. Our actions do not affect God’s love and desire for us.

1 John 3:1, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The world does not know us because it did not know him.”

This season of my life is about believing that God loves me unconditionally. It is about understanding what it means to live with God, not just for God. I find it difficult to understand what it means to put myself aside and live a life with God. I have a long history of living for God. It is a pattern that I understand. I have become accustomed to the highs and lows of earning God’s love. Now, I must learn to live like Jesus, not for Jesus. That is a significant next step for me. I need to think like I am part of Him; he is not a third party evaluating my actions.

“There will always be someone willing to hurt you, put you down, gossip about you, belittle your accomplishments, and judge your soul. It is a fact that we all must face. However, if you realize that God is a best friend that stands beside you when others cast stones, you will never be afraid, never feel worthless, and never feel alone.” ~ Shannon Alder

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

A great resource on this subject is: “Reimagining the Way You Relate to God” by Skye Jethani

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