Up until this point we have covered where to start in discovering purpose – God. We’ve looked at two of the five major purposes laid out by Pastor Rick Warren:
- Purpose 1 – You Were Planned for God’s Pleasure.
- Purpose 2 – You Were Formed for God’s Family.
Today, as we start a new week, we look at Purpose 3 – we are created to become like Jesus.
From the moment you entered into time and space, God wanted to shape you into the likeness of Jesus. In all of creation, only humanity is created in the image of God. We are both spiritual and physical beings.
Like Father like Son.
The aim is not to be God or be a god. It’s to become godly. To take on more of God’s values, attitude and character. Following Jesus or becoming more like Jesus is not just about behavioural modification, it’s about inward transformation. Christlikeness is about development of character, it’s not about losing our personality. If anything, the more we grow in Christ the more we become our true selves.
A purpose of our life is about character development. It’s when we forget this that we allow negative circumstances to frustrate us. Think about growth, it most often occurs under pressure. Instead of focussing on what’s happening to you, consider what’s happening in you.
Remember, it’s not about you.
(That line doesn’t seem to get easier, haha).
Can we talk about the Holy Spirit? I am mindful that not everyone on this purpose driven adventure is in the same place spiritually speaking. You may be comfortable with God’s spirit or this may be completely new to you. Please know that I am always available to talk more. God’s spirit, the Holy Spirit, is a gift given to us who have faith. It is the Holy Spirits job to develop Christlikeness in us. We cannot produce Godly character on our own.
“Christlikeness is not produced by imitation but by inhabitation.”
Rick Warren
God will also use the bible, people and circumstances to mould us. “God’s word provides the truth we need to grow, people provide the support we need to grow and circumstances provide the environment for us to grow” says Warren.
Becoming like Christ is a process and will take time. We are all a work in progress and don’t get disheartened if you feel as if you aren’t transforming quick enough. God is most interested in who we are becoming rather than what we are doing. When it comes to purpose we can get confused by the specifics. We want to know which career is our purpose but God’s purpose is Christlikeness and so there could be multiple career options as long as we outwork our vocation in a Christ like manner.
Summary:
Remember – We were created to become like Jesus.
Key Bible verse – “We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 TPT
Pray – Holy Spirit, more of you and less of me.
Until tomorrow,
Bevan
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