‘I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
1 Philippians 3:10-11 (NLT)
Paul said his determined purpose was to know God. That rocked my world. Paul recognized that his determined purpose in life was to know God personally and intimately, which is the foundational purpose in all our lives. With that as a foundation, he went on to accomplish amazing things through his own unique purpose, but he knew how to keep first things first.
The starting point for understanding the purpose for your life is to have a heart-to-heart connection and relationship with God. In that relationship, you will learn to understand the real you, based on who you are in Jesus. Your particular purpose is revealed in your personal relationship with God. Everything springboards from there.
How do you develop this kind of relationship? I had been taught to spend time in my “prayer closet/ which, to be candid, did not sound very appealing to me. As I began to spend real time (not in the closet), praying, studying the Word, and talking with God as if He was sitting on the couch with me, I quickly discovered He wasn’t anything like I thought. Once I let go of old religious ideas and became aware that He is in me and with me, I felt as though I had a new best friend!
Activation:
What does your time with the Lord look and feel like? Do you dread it or look forward to it? Do you
need a change of perspective?
Journal some thoughts on how to change your perspective. Then ask the Lord what He would like to do during your time together.
Declaration:
I want to know Christ and the power that raised Him from the dead. I will make my personal time with the Lord a priority. I will purposely develop a heart to heart connection with the Lord.