Goals And Purposes
By: Kristen L. McNulty
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What is the purpose of your life? Point blank- what is the number one purpose of your life? If you could only accomplish one thing throughout your entire lifetime, what would that one thing be?
If you're like most teens and young adults, you probably have no idea what the purpose of your life is and the biggest goal you have is to finally be done school.
So the purpose, no pun intended, of today's devotional is to get you thinking about these things. Why? Because although it may seem like we've got a lot of time to figure it out now, the choices you make now will in a big part determine the rest of your life. Where you go to school, what job you get, who you choose to marry, etc, will all determine your future. So if you don't know your purpose or your life goals when making all of these choices, you might wake up one day and realize that the life you're living is not the one you want at all.
Determining our goals here and now is very practical. Let's use a few examples. Ladies, if your number one goal is to be a stay at home Mom, then pursuing a Ph. D might not be a sound move after all. Men, if your goal is to be a missionary in Asia, then a degree in bio-chemistry most likely isn't going to get you there.
So many people go to school for something they think are interested in, graduate, then have no intention of getting a job in that field. Not only is that a mismanagement of at least 60,000 dollars, but total waste of four or more years.
But discovering the goal of your life isn't the only thing you have to think about. Discovering the purpose is a huge thing that if discovered now will save you a lot of regrets.
I'm hoping and praying that you have come to the point in your life where you can say that your purpose is a spiritual one. If not, well then it's time to do some soul searching, but if it is, it's time to apply it.
Let's say you've decided the number on purpose for your life is to know Jesus as best as you can. Well, start working on knowing Him today. Let's say your purpose is to be a shining light and bring as many people as you can to heaven, then start working on that today.
It's important to note that you don't have to be a pastor or have graduated from a Bible college in order to accomplish your purpose.
God needs university students, he need nurses, he needs office workers, he needs lawyers, he needs athletes who are all committed to Him and to carrying out their purpose.
God has given each one of us a purpose. We were all created for a reason. Why don't you take some time to set your goals and purposes today in order to make wise life decisions that will reflect that?
So many of us wait until we've reached middle age to discover that they are running out of time and haven't fulfilled their goals or purposes. We can reverse this trend by making the most of the time God's given us just by knowing where we're going and making decisions that reflect that.
You may agree with what's been shared here tonight, but have no idea where to start. As someone who is going through the same things you are let me give you some advice.
First of all, take some time to decide where you want to see yourself in ten years, then do what it will take to get there.
Secondly, when deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life, the best advice I've ever received is "Find a way to get paid to do something you love." When making a career choice, consult your desires and talents.
Lastly, cover all decisions in prayer. Don't choose a path based on a whim or what others think you should do. Take time out with God to let Him show you where to go.
In closing, Proverbs chapter three, verses five and six says:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your paths..
This devotional was aired as a part of the Making A Difference Christian Radio Show.