November 4, 2023

Psalm 138: 8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me . . . (NIV)

When self-improvement is my focus, my spirituality is about me, not about God.*

Self-help books. Motivational speakers. Facebook memes (with nice pictures and bad grammar). Posters on the wall in the conference room at work. Never forget how wildly capable you are! It seems we have everything we need to succeed already contained within us. If we just believe in ourselves. If we don’t give up. If we quit listening to the negative voices in our heads . . .

Actually, I do have everything I need to succeed already contained within me. He is called The Holy Spirit. I don’t know how motivated you are by slogans and memes, but I am enlightened by the Word of God. I am energized by the Holy Spirit. And I am nothing on my own. I am a marionette lying crumpled and motionless until God takes hold of my strings and brings me to life. Without him, I am purposeless. My ambitions are vain. My accomplishments are hollow. But when God is in control, he fulfills his purpose in me. How could my purpose compete with that?

Let a clear understanding of your identity in Christ shed light on all the ways you can live out your purpose.*