I love the line from Casting Crowns' song Just Be Held that says: Your life's not falling apart, it's falling into place.
This world is part of God's story. And we each were created to be part of God's story. If you think of a story and you think of the characters involved, each character plays a part. Each character is as important as the next. And taking a character out of a story would completely change that story. It could still be a good story but it wouldn't be the story it was meant to be without that character.
You have a purpose, a mighty purpose in God's story. It is a purpose only you can fulfill. Sometimes we can get lost trying to find this purpose, but if you seek God, that purpose will find you. And it might be a purpose that no one else notices. I know I just talked about my son Hawk, but as a mom, God shows me so much through my children. That's often how He speaks to me (and He will speak to you and give you illustrations that are unique to your life). My son Hawk has a great purpose. I don't quite understand it. I don't think anyone does but God. He uses Hawk in ways He couldn't use a typical 16 year old. I have no idea how God speaks to people through Hawk, but He does. I know He does.
It's the same way for you. You are very likely a pretty typical person in that you can communicate verbally. You probably can get around on your own. You have relationships. You have griefs. You have challenges and blessings. All of that can be used by God to show the world Himself and His love. Sometimes yes, we need to talk. Sometimes we need to share verbally with others. And when you feel like you really should say something, then by all means, please say it. Sometimes just a few words can change a person's life. But the reason your few words may change a person's life is because of the Spirit work going on inside that person.
I can tell you what your purpose is -- it is being you. Being you fully and completely and wholly. No one else can be you. That's why we really miss it when we try to look like someone else. Or we do things to ourselves or do actions we might not otherwise do if we were being fully ourselves. You are a gift to this world. The world needs you to be you. The world needs me to be me.
And as we become fully ourselves, God will bring opportunities to share ourselves with our worlds. It might be through a certain job. It might a talent. It might be just listening (the world needs a lot more listeners). This time of year people are beginning new things. They want to bring changes in their lives. This can be very good. But if your changes are making you less you then don't do them.
Become yourself.
In our adult Sunday School Class at church we are studying Hosea. This is a tough book to study and talk about. It is full of adultery and sin and shows off the worst side of humanity. But it is necessary for us to study parts of the Bible that are difficult. Anyway, we're on chapter seven in our book (written by Dale and Sandy Larsen). I want to quote the first paragraph. They write:
We naturally want the best out of life: prosperity, health, security and enjoyment. In his book Idols of Our Time, Bob Goudzwaard warns that sooner or later such goals turn into gods on which we become dependent. "Because people put themselves in a position of dependence on their gods, invariably the moment comes when those things or forces gain the upper hand." It takes courage for us to identify and admit our own idols."
I share that because that goes right along with being truly ourselves. Whatever we are dependent on will influence how much we can become ourselves. If on Jesus Christ, He will bring us to that place where we have total freedom to be who we were created to be. We can be that person in His story that shines in ways only we can.
Thanks for reading. God bless you and yours!