Finding the Purpose of your Life

Your thinking is so important. Your thoughts determine your life.
But where does this ability to think come from?

Everything you see comes from God.
God is the great thinker, but he is not like a philosopher, whose thinking is an attempt to find and define truth.

This world comes from God's mind. You, too, were in God's thoughts before the first stars appeared.

What do you think of your life?
What are you?
Who are you?

Are you a nobody or a somebody?
In God's eyes, you are a somebody, and a very important somebody.

But how can that be?

God has planned your life, not to stumble around as an orphan in this chaotic world, but to live as his own child in his loving presence.
Do you know God?

Jesus came into this world to reveal our Father in heaven.
If you know Jesus, you know God.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Jn 14:6 NIV

But perhaps you only know Jesus a little.

You are somehow stuck in your religious life. Your Christianity is characterised by duty, ritual and routine.

God has something completely different in mind for you. Do you want to perceive God's thoughts.
You do read your Bible, but it doesn’t come alive for you?

Are you so burdened by worries and duties that your thoughts only  revolve around problems?

If your prayers only revolve around your problems, you can ask Jesus to share his perspective with you.

Have you learnt to perceive God's thoughts in your mind?

Maybe you need time out.

How can you find time out?

Sometimes all the people around you demand that you should always be available to fulfil their wishes.

Many want to steal your time, but God has given you time to fulfil His purposes, not the desires of everyone around you.

We have to learn to say ‘no’ so that we have time to find the meaning of life.

If you are brooding about problems, you can simply ask God:

‘’You see my thoughts. What do you think about it?
God wants to answer. You can learn to listen to God.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. Jn 10:27–28 NIV

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Is 55:9 NIV

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11 NKJV

Concentrate on God and Expect His Help

What is dominating your thinking? Your illness or God's healing?
Where do you direct your thoughts? Your fears, or God's saving love?

A scientist in the USA studied HIV AIDS patients for four years.
Patients who believed in God's love recovered significantly better.
Patients who believed that God loved them personally recovered much better.

When you are in distress, you will experience a battle in your mind.
On one side is faith, hope and the love of God.
On the other side, fears and doubts keep popping up.

That is normal.

But God has given you free will. Where will you focus your attention?

We can fail or overcome in all areas of life. Life is just like that.

A sports psychologist was invited to help professional footballers. He wanted to teach and strongly emphasise the principle of concentration. In football, as in all areas of life, concentration is essential for success. Distraction is the enemy.

The psychologist placed a large football trophy on a table in front of the team. He said they had to keep their eyes on the cup for seven minutes.

They started looking at the trophy and the psychologist reminded them not to give in to distractions, not to look at their friends, not to look at the laptop on the table, etc.

The only professional footballer who looked at the trophy for seven minutes straight was the superstar of the team.

The other footballers glanced here and there, at their friends, at the laptop, etc.

What did the football champion do differently from his team-mates?

He looked at the inscription on the trophy. He read the inscription over and over again and systematically stored the words in his memory.

Do you need healing from cancer or depression? Perhaps liberation from porn?
Where do you direct your gaze on the screen of your mind?

When Joshua was to lead the Hebrews into the Promised Land, he received these instructions from God.

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Jos 1:8 NIV

And what did Joshua say to the Hebrews?

“Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you after he said, ‘The LORD your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ Jos 1:13 NIV

Your thoughts determine the direction of your life.

How can you control your thoughts?

You must realise that your thoughts and feelings do not control you. You can direct and control your thoughts.

God's promises and instructions are like the inscription on the victory trophy that God has set before you.

What is your victory trophy? Healing? Deliverance? Reconciliation with friends or family? A good job?

You can be like the football striker who focuses only on the goal and doesn't get distracted.

He forgives all your iniquity; he heals all your diseases. Ps 103:3 CSB

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11 NKJV

That's all well and good, but you and I are just weak people.

But we don't just have God's word. If Jesus is the most important person in your life, you can rely on his help. He will never let you down.

… And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Mt 28:20 NRSV

Remember, think about it. He is with you all the time.