There is a lot of talk about purpose. There have been volumes of books written on the subject. Do you know what your purpose is? What does it mean to be living on purpose?
When did life get so hard? Why is it so complicated? Is it really? Are we making it harder than it has to be with all of our choices and decisions and the craziness of the world?
We make hundreds of choices daily. Good choices, bad choices. Some days are better than others, I admit, but all our choices have an end goal in mind, don’t they? Our choices help us to grow. They can bring us closer to the One who made us, whether we know it or not.
One Shot, Many Seasons
I love to write about personal development. But I didn’t just start typing one day. I’ve been through many different seasons of life that brought me to this point. There’s been a lifetime of preparation. I took a class in creative writing so that I wouldn’t sound stupid. lol. I studied character traits and taught middle and high schoolers about leadership. I’ve served on the Character Council in my town. The last 30 or so years has been preparing me for this moment and season in my life.
Everything that happens to us in our lives, happens for a reason. It can make or break us, depending on our choices and reactions to those circumstances. Each circumstance can help us to grow, if we let it.
My purpose in writing these posts is to draw us closer to Jesus. That is the goal of Character & Virtue. Helping us grow in character and virtue helps us all live life to the fullest, and helps us grow closer to the One who created us, closer to Love.
“Man was created for a certain end. This end is to praise, to reverence and to serve the Lord his God and by this means to arrive at eternal salvation. All other beings and objects that surround us on the earth were created for the benefit of man and to be useful to him, as means to his final end; hence his obligation to use, or to abstain from the use of, these creatures, according as they bring him nearer to that end, or tend to separate him from it.”
St. Ignatius of Loyola
We are all here for a short time and get one shot at this. We all have an end. It’s the in between that determines our salvation. How will we spend that time in the in between? Are the things you are doing bringing you closer to or separating you from God?
Action Steps
We were created for some definite purpose. So take some time today and just sit in complete silence and let the Lord speak to you about your purpose. Ask Him to show you areas of your life that need redirection or improvement. Then journal the thoughts and ideas that come to you. He’s really very good at sparking ideas if we listen closely. What comes to your mind? Write it down.
Take a couple of those ideas and start to make them happen by putting them into action. Put them in your planner. Schedule them on your calendar. It could be as simple as incorporating a daily prayer. It could be a family camp out or gathering.
Living on purpose isn’t hard once you know your purpose. Loving God and others is easy. It is what we were made for. Just keep it simple and let the Lord lead.
I appreciate you. Thanks for following along. Drop me a line or comment about an action step you’ve decided to take. God bless.–Barb
