I get teased a lot about watching Oprah Winfrey. I was home recently and my brothers (and even some of my sisters) really let me have it for watching Oprah. No, this isn’t about supporting Oprah or advocating for her program or what she does. However I remember when she announced plans for her school for girls in Africa, one of the things that she repeated in 2005 while speaking at Mt Olivet Church in Cleveland Ohio was “I’m thankful to God that I know who I am. That I am his child first and foremost and that I understand the meaning and purpose of my own life."Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Calf wrote the awesome book “Purpose Driven Life” which has changed people lives all over the world including mine in helping us see that we are here for a purpose and our relationship with God reveals that purpose. Knowing and discovering your purpose is more than just “I want to treat people right and love God and go to church, etc, etc, yada yada yada!” There is a purpose that God has for me and you to do- that no one else can do! It doesn’t mean that it won’t get done- but if we don’t step up and be obedient- it won’t get done the way that God had ordained it. There have been many people criticizing Oprah for one reason or the other- again I’m not here to defend Oprah’s life, matter of fact many of the things she is associated with I am in total disagreement with, but I cant remember the last time I have heard prominent Christian leaders say “This is my purpose this is what God has ordained for me to do" It appears there is so much attention on getting the mega church and all that comes with it, but not a lot about purpose and why we are here. Some have even let the book “Purpose Driven Life” be just another spiritual phase almost like a fad. God has convicted me recently about my purpose.
Here is another news flash- our recovery isn’t about us! God has called many of us to our purpose, however our habits, hurts, hang-ups have detoured us from that purpose and what God wants to accomplish in our lives. I once heard Bishop Noel Jones say- “your mess don’t cancel your calling” Pastor Tony Evans in his book “Time to Get Serious” talks about Jonah and his running away from what God had called him to do. Dr. Evans states “ when you are obedient God pays the ticket but when you run from God – you get to pay the ticket” Jonah ran 2500 miles headed for Tarshish and the city of Nineveh was actually about 550 miles from his home! Once he got back and obeyed God- he still had to make the original trip anyway! Many of us are paying a high price for our Tarshish trip when if we had done it God’s way, he would have picked up the tab”. There are things that have happened to us and Satan has meant for those things to be our demise, however God wants those very things to be the catalyst for us to fulfill our unique purpose that he has called you and I to do. It’s an invitation to join him in what he is doing and going to do! He’s waiting for you to RSVP!
Reflection: Do you know what your unique purpose is? How has your recovery hindered or helped you see that purpose?
