meaning and purpose for life

Our Micro Plans

Dr. Mike 2023 , , ,

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Last week I highlighted God’s macro plan. Today, we are going to review how our plans work along with God’s goal for us.

One of the major challenges we all face is to determine how our dreams aligned with God’s plan. When one initially surrenders to God, the attitude normally is you are willing to commit to anything. Until you realize afterward what you are sacrificing.

Are you willing to become a missionary in a foreign hostile nation? Are you willing to deny yourself marriage, family, and physical comforts? What about your desires for financial success? These and many other issues confronted me. The question before me was how does one’s personal desires and life goals align with God’s plan?

Yes, I wanted to serve God. But I also desired to experience all life’s good things. Can a person do both?

I searched the Scriptures. I read theological works beyond my understanding at the time. Plus I cried and pondered in prayer. The answer over time became clearer. Yes, when one aligns mind, body, and soul to serve the living God, one does so wherever one is, and whatever one does. (As long as our work is not immoral.)

First one must understand God’s plan is to morph you and me after the image of Jesus Christ. As we worship HIM through our thoughts and actions, we begin to reflect HIM in our daily walk before others.

Then after you realize which of your God given natural talents and abilities are your strongest, you sharpen them. You acquire further knowledge and develop matching skills which when employed serve others.

As your heart becomes more like Jesus, HE will also lead you toward a community of people who you can best serve.

You do not have to enter full time vocational ministry to serve God, unless called. HE has given us the honor and privilege to serve Him in whatever profession, service, career, or opportunity we enter. His only caveat is that what you do reflects His character.

Remember: God is a builder, operator, teacher, strategist, and researcher. He is into business, health, education, and government. He is the author of science, mathematics, and communications. He exhibits fatherhood, motherhood, and family-hood. The list is endless.

The time will come when you realize He is preparing you for eternity. That He walks with you through your daily routines. You then become more assured in your relationship with Him. You appreciate His Presence. As HE shares His life with you, you enjoy sharing your life with Him. He created you and knows what your character needs most to thrive for eternity. And no matter what your situation or circumstance surround you, He is constantly morphing you into the image of Jesus Christ. If you allow Him.

In my early twenties, some friends selected the pastoral route. I chose business. Throughout my career, He blessed me with His presence. He surrounded me with mentors. He challenged me with opportunities to grow. And yes, He disciplined me many times when stupidity struck. Yet His grace always was enough. I chose business because at the time money was attractive to me. God didn’t refrain me. Instead, he took the daily roles, events, and challenges which laid before me and changed my heart to more reflect Him. Business became my ministry to love, serve, and govern others God’s way.

When you realize your role for eternity will involve governing and serving others, then you find more meaning in your daily routine. You find being trained to lead and serve is part of God’s plan for you. You realize He wants you to learn how to generously love and prudently judge others in your everyday life.

God is even involved in your personal roles. You find marriage trains you to submit and serve each other like God Himself. You find parenting trains you to govern a household. You find family is the best social structure to teach and train others in preparation for greater responsibility.

Everything you do under the tutelage of God Almighty prepares you for more and more responsibility. As you gain more expertise, your platform grows. As your heart/mind/soul is molded into the image of Jesus, you begin to reflect Him in your life. Your words, actions, and attitude bring greater glory to your Creator and heavenly Father.

In most cases, God is not going to tell you what to do with your life. He wants you to exercise your God-given gifts and bring glory to Him. He is not a helicopter parent. He wants you to develop character that reflects Him.

Yes, life is a learning process. We try. We fail. We try again. We fail. And we keep trying until one day we succeed. Then we take the next challenge and repeat. Whether you choose the upper road, mid-road, or lower road, God is always with you. By choosing what you desire, you will be more motivated to follow through. He will continue to chisel away and allow His new creation to come alive in you no matter which way you choose.

Many Christians struggle for answers in decision making while seeking God’s Will. When the real issue is the fear within them. They want someone to tell them which way to go so they don’t fail. But failure is what teaches you how to succeed. God knows what we lack in character. He knows what your strengths are. And He knows what will bring out the best in you.

So, pursue your goals. Dream dreams. Create a bucket list. Constantly communicate with Him through the entire journey. He is with you and rooting for you. You may have your sight set on the outcome. But His aim is to prune your character in the process. When both are done, be grateful. If the outcome of your goal fails, that is OK. What did you learn? Be grateful. If you succeed, be thankful for your accomplishment.  And always be appreciative for God’s involvement in your life.

When you abide in Christ, everything you do Monday through Friday and weekends are to glorify your heavenly Father. Yes, you can do godly work within a Christian ministry. But you can also minister outside the four walls of a faith community through your vocation. They both will have their challenges and rewards. It’s your choice.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Your Cross. Your Responsibility.

Dr. Mike Kingdom Actions , , ,

Luke 9:23

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

What is your cross?

As this Scripture indicates, to follow Jesus requires each of us to place our wants and desires secondary to Him, and accept daily our responsibility toward God and others.

But this still begs the question, what is your cross to carry?

Jesus’ daily cross was to fulfill the mission he accepted from the foundation of the world from His God. His daily exercise to cross the “T” and dot the “i” in a godly manner involved working in the carpentry shop before his public ministry and then the pronouncement and teaching of His Kingdom before others in the last three years of his earthly venture. He carried the responsibility of moving events toward his trial, execution, and resurrection. He laid the foundation for a Church to outlast history. His incarnate actions were done as a substitute for you and I. He reflected God’s intentions in all his actions and words. He learned obedience through his daily struggles. He experienced pain and suffering as a human. He knew the hatred others had for him yet lived each day resting in His Father’s Will and bore the responsibility of teaching and serving others in God’s name.

That was His cross. But what is the cross you carry?

As we mature in life, we begin to accept greater and greater responsibility. Some people seek it out which is normal in our earlier adult days. Others have responsibility thrusts upon them by others and either meet the call or succumb to its weight. Then others accept commitments toward a personal goal or relationship and hold themselves personally accountable toward fulfilling that decision.   

Your cross in the eyes of others may be a minor stone you have to carry each day. But to you the perception is the other way around. Your cross is a large boulder which requires all your strength and focus each day while your friend’s cross is a pocket stone. And they likewise see it the other way around.

Your cross may be the burden of a broken relationship; financial hardship caused by outside forces outside your control; or maybe the outcome of back to back poor decisions which has left you beaten, broken, and busted. Yet, these are the cards you have and Jesus says accept your situation and take the responsibility to fix it by following him toward your new future. You may be a single mom working three jobs and raising two children. You may be a widower in poor health caring for someone else who likewise is struggling through life. Or you may be an entrepreneur putting yourself together again after failing in your third business venture.

Your cross may be a defective health issue that has you struggling each day simply to get around. Or maybe even the threat of your life for leaving your previous religion to follow Jesus. And yet others, it may simply be to marry the person who birth your child out of wedlock and give them a father and home-life as a foundation for a successful life.

As a Christ follower, it is not about you. Each of us has a boulder to push, a mountain to climb, or an ocean to cross. To follow Jesus requires us to accept the responsibility of completing the race before us with all its obstacles. Not as a victim nor an evil rabble rouser, but as a child of the living God. As we accept personal responsibility for our actions, and trust Jesus to lead us via the Holy Spirit, we will find meaning and purpose with our life. In fact, you will find yourself growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ unto maturity as a believer and finisher of your faith.      

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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