It can be a busy day; often times there are more busy days
than the lack of them. The busyness
twirls the mind around like a fair ride that can leave you dizzy and wondering
why you got on the ride in the first place. Life can be like that ride and
depending on what you make of it will determine if you desire to enjoy the fun
or decide to never to get on the scary ride again.
Or you leave one room for another room with a set purpose in
mind. Once you get to your destination, there you become side-tracked and forget your
purpose for going there in the first place. You become frustrated because you
knew you had to do something, but now cannot quite put the finger on it. No matter
how many reminders you might have, no matter how many times you try to
remember, it eludes you like a wild animal breaking free from your grip.
Our attitudes may define who we are if we are not careful.
It is easy to adapt and to relax and become the situation. Almost like a frog
in a cold kettle set over a fire that slowly becomes accustomed to the heating
water, until it is boiled. How often do we forget our purpose in life? How
often do we forget our role in our marriage? How often do we forget who we are
as an individual? Many have said that they ‘lost their identity’ and that they
are now ‘finding themselves.’
When we lose sight of our main focus we tend to forget. We
forget who we are. We lose that identify and purpose for our life. Oftentimes
it is like chasing the wind as it carries a piece of paper, our life. That paper is a written note proclaiming who
we are and where we are to go with an intent purpose in mind.
For some people, they seek definition of who they are
through their friends. They seek others for approval of their
relationships. They seek others for
happiness. They seek their life in this or in that, yet end up empty each and
every time. They feel if they tried harder, focused harder, the answer they
sought would be found.
One passage in the
bible has always intrigued me. Jesus knew the hearts of men. Just like the night
of his betrayal and before it even happened, Jesus explained to Peter that he
would deny Him three times and as a reminder of what He told Peter, a rooster
would crow after the third denial. This was so that Peter would believe and
remind him of what his heart did. Yet, that is not the passage I had in mind.
The passage begins in John 5. John writes about a man who came to the
healing pool daily. He had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. He came to
the pool to be healed because angels would come down and stir the water and who
entered the pool first would be healed. Jesus knows the hearts of men, but
today was different than any other day. Jesus approached the man and He asked
the man, “Do you want to be healed?” Why? If I have a purpose of going
somewhere then I know why I am there. The man wanted to be healed. Jesus knew
it. Why did Jesus notice the man with this question and not heal him like he
did countless others?
Jesus wanted to awaken the purpose. We forget who we are and
what we are to become when we become busy in our life, or when we tell our self
lies, listen to others. While our intent of our purpose is the desire to be
healed, we forgot what to do. Misplaced keys, misplaced cell phone because we
became intense on the side attractions and so busy we forget to create a memory
of where we put our item so that we can retrieve it later. Have you forgotten the purpose of why you
came to Christ and have forgotten how to live? Maybe religion has suffocated
you and snatched the true freedom you were called to be in. Maybe it was a
marriage that suffocated you in not reaching your full potential. It might even
be selfish thoughts, which have prevented you from obtaining your full potential.
Sometimes it can be the distraction or the self-defeat thoughts we tell
ourselves that we are never good enough. I will never reach my goal, so what is
the use. The invalid man in John 5 told Jesus that he couldn’t roll into the
pool and that no one would ever help him, and thus, that he would never be
healed. He lost sight of his purpose.
What is your purpose in life? Do you want to be healed? Find
that inner voice deep and focus on Christ that will give you the power and the
energy to walk and to be healed. The question to ask is, “Are you willing to
take the first step that might seem so unnatural at first?” We have to rid
ourselves of the past in order to walk the past. To rid the past is through
forgiveness of us and others. To be healed is to understand that the power is
not in the water. The power is in our determination to focus on Christ and
doing what He commands us to do. The next time you feel misplaced, look up and
pray and stay in constant communication with Him. He is reminding us every day
our intentions and purpose of walking with Him. Others may say too fast to
soon, not to do this, not to do that, but is it the will on man’s voice or the
will of the Father that knows best? Be still and focus on Him and listen to his
voice and you will find that purpose He has placed into your heart.
Will you be courageous enough to take the first step and
walk?
The next time life deals you with a blow and you feel
paralyzed, do not forget your intent and purpose of where you are going. When
we walk with Him, he will guide us into the paths of righteousness. Are you
willing to have the faith that Forges Attitude In Trusting Him?
