Welcome to “Going Deeper with the Word.” In this segment, we welcome people of all backgrounds, religious or not, to review the Word of God. The Word of God provides guidance, direction, and instructions for living our lives and walking with God.
Today, we examine how God’s Word provides clear guidance and direction about finding our place.
Let’s review examples from God’s Word that can lead and guide our steps and back up the principles we learned in today’s message. I will read scripture today from the Amplified Bible.
If you are watching this message online, we invite you to share your comments as we review each verse.
Here is our first verse.
and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds, not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25
In this passage, we see the Apostle Paul encourage readers to lift and support one another, even encouraging them to -make- the time to meet. This is a great example of the type of community he was looking to encourage others to maintain.
This passage even provides emphasis on the value of instruction in these communities. As we discussed today, the community that God seeks for you may be one where you receive instruction, but it also may be one where you provide instruction. Either way, there is a community that is aligned with your God-given gifts that will help you to be in alignment with your God-given purpose.
Is there a community that you feel drawn to, but haven’t made the move to investigate further? What’s holding you back? What do you think may be beneficial for you or others if you were to take part in this community? “Let us know in the comments”
Let’s have a look at another verse.
Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate for] good stewards of God’s multi-faceted grace [faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God’s unmerited favor].
1 Peter 4:10
In this verse, we see very clearly the fact that God has given us gifts, and that these gifts are meant to serve one another. Your God-given gifts are meant to have a place in the world for others. Your gifts are not necessarily meant for your own pleasure or satisfaction, but for God’s purpose and grand plan on the earth.
You may or may not already know of these God-given gifts, but if you don’t know, God will gladly reveal them to you and how to apply them in your life. You need only ask Him.
Describe a God-given gift that you learned later in life. How do you believe this gift helps others? If you don’t know of a God-given gift, will you ask God to reveal them today? “Let us know in the comments”
Let’s look at one last verse.
Many plans are in a man’s mind,
But it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand (be carried out).
Proverbs 19:21
In this verse, King Solomon explains the reality for many of us: at some point in our lives, we all form plans within our minds, pursuing an education and career to support those plans. Despite everything I have said today, there is absolutely nothing wrong with pursuing plans that are meaningful to you. I am saying, and this verse is saying, however, that whatever your plans may be, God’s plans are what are truly meant for your life. God’s plans are perfect, and they will facilitate your purpose.
It is completely reasonable that you may not know your purpose yet. You may form plans without really knowing it, or you may even be very successful in carrying out those plans, achieving wealth and material success while still not understanding your purpose.
What we are encouraging you to do today is to go back to the One who created you and ask Him to reveal the gifts He has planted in you. Ask Him to show you the community where you will flourish and thrive. Ask God to make your purpose known and equip you with everything you need to carry it out.
This may be challenging or even difficult to hear, but God’s plan should be the priority for your life. The good news is that God still knows your heart’s desires: the deepest desires you have known all your life. You can go to Him, ask Him to reveal His plans and gifts to you, and share with Him what is important to you: the things you enjoy, the things that bring you joy, and the things that get you excited. God can craft a plan adapted to your heart’s desires while still fulfilling His divine purpose.
A great example of this is my own life. As I touched on earlier today, I have always been around computers and software, and early on in life I knew I loved to build things. Now, several years into this ministry, I can tell you that this work was God’s plan and purpose for me. In pursuing it, God is using the gifts I already possessed in software development and technology to equip the ministry with abilities it would not have had otherwise. Instead of our organization having to pay for certain tools, I can simply build them, saving our nonprofit money. This is a tangible example of how bringing what I knew and loved to what God had in store for me brought everything together as one.
Describe your plans for life. If you know them, describe what you believe to be God’s plans for your life. Describe any intersection between your plans and God’s plans, and how you feel about prioritizing God’s plans over your own. “Let us know in the comments”
Thank you for your time today, and thanks for reviewing these verses with me. I hope they provided insight in finding your place in the world and God’s grand plan.
I want to leave you with this: it is never too late to learn of your place in the world. Even later in life, as your own life plans might be winding down, if you have not discovered God’s plan and purpose for your life, I encourage you to ask Him to reveal them to you. Regardless of what stage you are in life, God can work with any circumstances to align you with His plan.
I suggest that you seek out His plans as soon as you can. I do wonder what my life would be like if I had asked Him in my teens or even my twenties. In my current stage of life, God has definitely ramped things up to get me back on track with His plan. Once I desired to be aligned with my purpose, He placed everything in line for me to discover, grow, and, in a sense, catch up to His plans.
I am so glad He did. I feel so blessed to know my purpose, and I cannot wait to see what I can do for the rest of my days.
Be sure to leave a comment about your purpose and what you believe God has in store for you to do for His grand plan.
We look forward to exploring more in our series, The Grand Narrative. Be sure to tune in for our next message of the series when we explore how to go deeper into a relationship with God.
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Bless you.
