I started this book several years ago but never finished... until this week. For those who aren't familiar, The Purpose-Driven Life is a 40-day journey that begins on the inside and ends in the manifestation of a changed perspective. Each of 40 chapters is a few pages long and focuses on an aspect of life that is linked to finding one's purpose in Christ. In other words, it throws you for a spiritual, mental and emotional 180... and oh, how I needed it!
In the last 2 months or so, I had been feeling like someone pulled the plug from my spiritual reservoir and everything was draining out of me. I no longer wanted to pray, I fell back into lustful thought patterns, I would have multiple 'slips of the tongue' while trying to suppress my potential for road rage...yeah, it was that serious. And everything culminated in a dark cloud over my spirit one night--I'm guessing it was an episode of what clinical depression would feel like--that lasted until the next day. That's when I cried out to God, begging Him to let me know that He heard me and knew cared that I was alive. He answered in the form of my friend who called me out of the blue at work, saying that she just felt the need to check on me. *sigh* I had to fight back tears at that moment because God wanted me to know, in no uncertain terms, that He still had my back.
After that, I felt recharged. It gave me just enough of a boost to rekindle my desire for Jesus in spirit and in truth. That just-enough-to-get-by attitude towards my faith wasn't gonna cut it anymore. I wanted more insight on WHY God made me who and am--what on Earth am I here for? So I reached for something that would help me get my mind right: The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren.
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| Photo credit: http://ifancy.me |
No, this isn't a shameless plug for the book--believe me, I'm not getting paid--but I can honestly say that it's gotten me thinking about my Christian walk in a whole new light. I started reading this in conjunction with other changes I've been making--being more 'honest' while praying, talking to God more often, listening for His voice and being obedient when I hear it. I kinda-sorta thought that by the time I finished, I would have this miraculous revelation of who I'm supposed to be and what I'm supposed to do but it doesn't actually work like that (not for me, anyway). But I'm not completely done with the book because on day 40, the last chapter, it instructed me to create a purpose statement for my life. I haven't started yet--being the procrastinator that I am--but if you've ever had to draft a purpose/mission statement for work or anything else, you know how involved the process is. I'm gonna have to carve out a chunk of time to at least put a dent in it before the year is out. In fact, that would be a great way to kick off 2012!
So what did I learn about my life's purpose from reading this book? I won't give it all away, but here's a biggie: it's NOT about me; it's about God. You'd think that would be a no-brainer for a Christian, right? Well, by the time I finish with my purpose statement, I hope to have gotten some greater revelation about the reason why I exist. And I promise to share... :o)
be blessed,
pVI
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