The Purpose Driven Life

[Ir0nClad]

Chapter 3 question....

What would my family say is my driving force? They know me well enough that I put Jesus' will before my own, but to anyone who knows me a little bit, but not long enough would say that computer games are what I live for becuase I spend a llllllllllllllllot of time playing.

Of course I play online, so a lot of time I build relationships with people. I have hundreds of friends in over 80 countries all over the world, and I've met many of them due to tournaments I've won.

There is a reason why I'm good at what I do, and why I've been able to travel to places all over the world.. to set an example for Jesus, without all of the yadda yadda, and people I associate with know there is something different about me.

To give a fictional example, If I go play basketball with a group of guys, always play fair, never cuss, and go sit on the sidelines to cool off when things get heated (like an argument over a call or something), people can realize that, and turn to you becuase of your example. They may start asking you what you think the call is, or put their trust in you just becuase of how you act around something you all enjoy doing. Then maybe you could invite them to do other things and then maybe ask them to your church or something...

 

[Joy]

Just to say have not given up. i'm reading chapter 3 finding that much to think about not sure where to start. i'll post more later.

 

[PollyAnna]

Ironclad, I'm having a hard time figuring out how your post re chapter 2 relates to chapter 2. Maybe you can help me with that?

I'm so glad that we're all able to discuss this book together b/c it seems that all the church in my area have already gone through this book and most ppl I know have already read the book. It's awesome to me to be able to discuss it with others and see all the different POVs everyone has.

Life in Abundance, IKWYM about this chapter being so thought-provoking. It's taken me 3 days to read it. lol I keep having to put it down and ponder certain parts and then come back again.

K, my thoughts on chapter 3 coming up.

 

[PollyAnna]

OK, these are all the things that stand out to me in this chapter.

Everyone's life is driven by something.

Guilt - We are products of our past but we don't have to be prisoners of it. God specializes in giving ppl fresh starts.

I love that God has given me a fresh start! Especially when I feel so lost sometimes. How wonderful to know that when I mess up and get turned around, God reaches down and points me in the right direction again.

Resentment/Anger - Resentment always hurts you more than it does the person you resent.
[bible]job 5:2[/bible]

Absolutely! It's taken a long time for me to work through my anger/resentment toward ppl and it's amazing how freeing it is to be rid of all that garbage.

Fear - Fear driven ppl often miss great opportunities b/c they're afraid to venture out. Fear is a self-imposed prison that will keep you from becoming what God intends for you to be. You MUST move against it with the weapons of faith and love.
[bible]1 cor 2:9[/bible]

I lived my life in fear for 35+ years and it's only been in the last couple of years that I've been able to break free of that. It was such a bondage for me but now I can't imagine what I was thinking being afraid of such things. It is amazing the things God can remove from your life if you let him.

Materialism - Possessions only provide temporary happiness. Your faith is not determined by your valuables, and God says the most valuable things in life are not things. Real security can only be found in that which can never be taken from you -- your relationship with God.

Runs right along with what I've always believed. I guess I've never had opportunity to be materialistic though since we've never really had much until recently.

Approval - Many adults are still trying to earn the approval of unpleasable parents.

That's me! Maybe this is why God is removing them from my everyday life by having them move to another state?

What is the driving force in your life?

For me I think it's approval from others. I always think I don't care what others think but deep down I think I do. It used to be guilt, resentment/anger, and fear, but I've worked all those out. Materialism has never been an issue that I can think of, so it must be approval.

Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning, activity without direction, and events without reason. Without a purpose, life is trivial, petty, and pointless.

This has been my thought process for years and it has put me in a cycle of depression that I could not get out of. I have always wondered just what it is I'm put on this earth for but cannot figure it out. Man, I hope this book helps. LOL

This is all for now. I'll post more thoughts later.

 

[BlestVessel]

Am I too late? Can I jump in?

I've read this once before, but I've been wanting to do it again, with commitment and to re-clarify to my stubborn self that I'm not to be living for myself. I'm wanting to get past this desire for approval! God is my drive, but when other believers are around, suddenly, it's divided and that is no good! I was on the phone in my time of crisis the other day, and I was actually HESITANT to pray, because I wanted not to be judged! That's a HUGE red flag for me! I think in people saying I'm too obsessive about praying or that I talk about God too much or that I'm a religious fanatic, I've really allowed that to effect me more than I'd like to admit. Thankfully, God has allowed practically everyone I love to hate me or reject me or walk away. This will definitely be used for my good!

 

[BlestVessel]

I'm sure this book will help

 

[PollyAnna]

Absolutely, jump in!

I know how you feel about being hesitant to pray. I have never been able to comfortably pray in front of ppl. I remember being comfortable praying with ppl as a little kid. But I also remember when that changed. I was with my cousins (who are pretty religious) and someone got hurt or was scared or something and I offered to pray. While I was praying they thought it would be funny to all leave and hide from me so that when I opened my eyes nobody was there. I felt mocked for sure and never prayed again in front of anyone. Sure wish I could get past that.

I'm sure this book will help

Thanks for the tip.

 

[BlestVessel]

God'll help you move past that if you ask Him and receive it. No worries. And if you pray in this thread, I won't leave in the middle.

 

[Joy]

Life in Abundance, IKWYM about this chapter being so thought-provoking. It's taken me 3 days to read it. lol I keep having to put it down and ponder certain parts and then come back again.
Yes I'm doing exactly the same so much to think about here goes

Reading that God specialises in giving people a fresh start, has confirmed something God is saying to me to learn to be specific when confessing sin.

I admit much of my life has been driven by fear, I struggle throughout the day with this, today's been easier but i know this can be a prison in which often I'm so afraid and I 'feel' that Jesus is not there. But my faith is being really challenged at this time, do I go on how I feel or do I in faith choose to believe that Jesus is with me even in the darkness of the prison. I'm still in the first steps of learning this. How can I know God's perfect love? By spending time with God and allowing Him to let me know His love in my heart.
Just reading God's words Jeremiah 29:11 gives me hope and the desire to want t o know God's plan and purpose for my live.
Thats my reading up to now.

karen

 

[BlestVessel]

Okay, so here's what I've been doing for Day 3....
For a couple days (since no one's been posting, I assume we're still on 3 until further notice) I've been taking note of my motivations behind everything.
And recording false motives, or motives of the flesh and not of the Spirit.

Some things I'll do to actually avoid intimacy with God! (Goes back to past hurts and somehow, someway, deep down, I've been scared He'll hurt me!)
Other false motivations include: comfort, love, acceptance, desire to blend in (dangerous one), enjoyment, entertainment, satisfaction, consistency, assurance, prove myself, add up, be enough. I strongly recommend this kind of prayerful soul search. This is where the enemy will dig his heels in and we need to be aware and willing to admit we're NOT doing EVERYTHING that we do for the Lord. As you can see from my list of motivations, these all will be provided by the Lord, but I need to stop doing things in pursuit of my desires in each motive. It must ALL be for Him, and IN HIM, I'll find these things. But first, I have to die to myself in these areas. Other motives simply need to be weeded out. Mine are: insecurity, "indebtedness" to God, and to be a "good Christian" or satisfy that concept somehow. Those have gotta go! Every false motive shows something that we're not trusting God for, to fill, to replace, to remove.... at least, that's how it is for me.

And that's my two cents! I'm gonna start on day 4, let me know when you guys are ready.

 

[PollyAnna]

Finally finished with day 3. lol I hope you all don't mind that we're not doing a chapter a day. I just don't want to rush whatever it is God wants to speak to us/me through this book/discussion.

Benefits of Purpose Driven Living:

Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life. When life has meanng you can bear almost anything. Without it nothing is bearable.

This is so true and I think a big trigger for my depression. I have to fight everyday to find a reason to get up and be busy (idle hands/minds theory ). God has been so faithful to help me through each day and I am looking forward to having my purpose revealed to me.

I feel like a failure b/c I'm struggling to become something, and I don't even know what it is. All I know how to do is to get by. Someday, if I discover my purpose, I'll feel I'm beginning to live.

Exactly my thought process almost word for word. Lord change my words!

The greatest tragedy is not death but life without purpose. You need hope to cope. Hope comes from having a purpose.
[bible]jeremiah 29:11[/bible]
[bible]ephesians 3:20[/bible]

I love the first line of this quote and it really hit my heart dead center.

Knowing your purpose simplifies your life. It defines what you do and what you dont do. Does this activity help me fulfill one of God's purpose for my life?

I tend to ask "Is this activity going to be fun? Is it going to make me uncomfortable? How far from my comfort zone do I have to go?

Without a clear purpose...you will tend to make choices based on circumstances, pressures, and your mood at the moment.

That's me! I tend to do things based on whether or not I feel like it. It's getting better but needs more work.

[bible]Isaiah 26:3[/bible]

Knowing your purpose focuses your life. It concentrates your efforts and energy on what's important. You become effective by being selective.

I definitely keep changing directions. I've been through several jobs, married twice, several churches, and moved to mamy different areas/houses. And still I'm in the same place I was before....unfocused! Right now I'm like a haunted radio that keeps changing stations.

[bible]ephesians 5:17[/bible]

If you want your life to have impact, focus it! There is nothing quite as potent as a focused life, one lived on purpose.

]

This is good. I want to live my life on purpose! I want to get up everyday and know that this day has a purpose.

Prune away even good activities and do only that which matters most

I have to disagree with this statement. I think this mindset can cause ppl to become legalistic, stodgy and take life too seriously. It can take away the humor and joy in life. I dont' think God intends for us to never be silly and participate in activities that are just "fun" and meaningless. Sometimes a good bout of falling down with laughter can be good for the heart. Or having a day without responsibility to enjoy a day at the beach with friends? Maybe someone can better clarify this statement but I just can't get in agreement with the "prune away even good activities..." part.

Knowing your purpose motivates your life. Purpose always produces passion. It is usually meaningless work, not overwork that wears us down, saps our strength and robs our joy.

This is how I feel about cleaning. LOL It's meaningless and I'm just going to have to do it again tomorrow, so what's the point? Now, when I'm planning on having company or a party or whatever, there's purpose behind it now and I can get it done and not be downcast about it.

Knowing your purpose prepares you for eternity. ...what ultimately matters most will not be what others say about your life but what God says.

I find it interesting that God isn't going to care about our religious background/doctrinal beliefs, only that we learned to love and trust Jesus. And also that God expects us to use those gifts/talents he gave us for the glory of his Kingdom.

But what if you don't know what your gifts/talents are?

Thinking about my purpose:

What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life?

I don't know. I've never asked.

What do I want it to be?

I want it to be driven by peace and love in all situations/circumstances. And I try to put relationships first above everything else. I don't know if that shows through or not though.

***********************

OK, I think I'm ready for Day 4 now.

 

[PollyAnna]

God'll help you move past that if you ask Him and receive it. No worries. And if you pray in this thread, I won't leave in the middle.

TY for being willing to stick around.

I don't have a problem with praying "online" through my keyboard. hehe It's only speaking out the words in front of ppl. Even my husband, I think I've prayed in front of him twice the 12+ years we've been together. I do want that to change though...

 

[kanga22]

CHAPTER 3

For some strange reason when I had finished reading this chapter, I felt a strong word from God to share it with my 95 year old Grandmother. I have told her about the book and shared with her some points in this chap. and some of the other chapters. However, I haven't read this chapter with her yet. And in re-reading it, I feel the same strong call to read it to her. There must be something in it that she needs to hear. But, in my mind I'm thinking it would just make her feel bad that maybe there were things she should have done with her life, but probably doesn't have the time to do now. Hopefully sometime before she leaves for Texas in October, I will have the guts to look like a Jesus freak (to the rest of my family) and read her the chapter like God wants me to. Although, I may never know why he wants me to share it with her.

WHAT DRIVES YOUR LIFE?
This line means a lot to me: You weren't put on earth to be remembered. You were put here to prepare for eternity.
Boy, does that take a lot of pressure off me to be "successful" by the world's standards.

I love the questions that this author says God will ask you when you die:
Did you accept what Jesus did for you and did you learn to love and trust him?
- I'm going to try to remind myself of that great question everytime I feel fear or just plain forget let Jesus be the Lord of my life, or trust Him in every situation.

The 2nd question is a good one too:
What did you do with your life; all the gifts, talents, opportunities, energy, relationships, and resources God gave you? Did you spend them on YOURSELF, or did you use them for the purposes God made you for?

Yeah, I have spent so much of everything I have on myself. It's shameful really. I have been very self-centered.

This question also helps me to realize/remember that even my relationships, opportunities and circumstances are ALL from the Lord. It's easy for me to forget that.

What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life?
perfectionism, selfishness, likability, FEAR, intitlement, commitment.

What do I WANT my driving force to be? My relationship with Jesus, love, kindness, gentleness, compassion, joy, peace, faithfulness, patience.

What do I want my children to remember about me: That I had integrity, drew strength from the Lord, was loving, kind, had knowledge and understanding of God's Holy Word, couragious, and patient.

I've written even more about this in my journal, but I think I've used up enough space for now.

BTW, I encourage all of you to keep a journal on this book. It really helps to remember what your initial impressions were when you read each chapter.

 

[BlestVessel]

"Prune away even good activities and do only that which matters most"

I have to disagree with this statement. I think this mindset can cause ppl to become legalistic, stodgy and take life too seriously. It can take away the humor and joy in life. I dont' think God intends for us to never be silly and participate in activities that are just "fun" and meaningless. Sometimes a good bout of falling down with laughter can be good for the heart. Or having a day without responsibility to enjoy a day at the beach with friends? Maybe someone can better clarify this statement but I just can't get in agreement with the "prune away even good activities..." part.

I think the things "which matter most" he refers to includes those times the Lord has devised for us. There is a verse that mentions, after dinner I think, that Jesus reclined. I found that interesting and thought on why it was there. I'm convinced it's because there is "a season for everything" and I'm certain Jesus had some good laughs and He knew how to recline, relax, take it easy, because we are as designed for service as for rest. It is a balance and these things, especially in North America, are often overindulged. Rick was wanting to ensure that we don't continue to waste our time. It's typical in our culture for someone to be away eight hours a day working for income (the 9 to 5), then they really only have around 7 hours to be awake and accomplish all else and get enough rest for tomorrow. But how much is spent watching television, doing unnecessary things online, playing couch potato, eating out, going to movies, socializing, shopping, sports, recreation. These are good things, yes, but how much time do we give to ourselves and how much time to our Lord?

"Knowing your purpose motivates your life. Purpose always produces passion. It is usually meaningless work, not overwork that wears us down, saps our strength and robs our joy."

This is how I feel about cleaning. LOL It's meaningless and I'm just going to have to do it again tomorrow, so what's the point? Now, when I'm planning on having company or a party or whatever, there's purpose behind it now and I can get it done and not be downcast about it.

Oh, PollyAnna! My mother said the same thing when I asked her if she would help me with the house or the children. What's the point? It just has to be done again tomorrow. But the verse "do all things as unto the Lord" was literal. We eat, exercise, brush our teeth, wash our hair to keep up God's temple, we take care of possessions He's given us because we have [hopefully] offered them up to Him every morning with our old self we die to, we clean our homes because it needs to be done and maintains a necessary order which honours Him. Think about it, is it YOUR house or GOD'S house? If it were God's house, you'd be determined to keep it organized and clean and neat, right? A believer's life is both the extraordinary and the mundane. We honour Him in how we approach both. Some people want the mundane only, some want the extraordinary only, but God gave us both, and we will be held accountable for our stewardship. I hope that helps motivate you!

 

[kanga22]

If I remember right the comment about "pruning away even good activities to do only what matters most" was talking about keeping your priorities in line and not overscheduling yourself. I'll have to look at it again when I get a chance. But, in the meantime, what I got from that was that if we are: teaching sunday school, holding down a job, going to a bible study, etc. but neglecting our family in the process; then we need to trim some things away for what is really important (our family).

And I would have to agree with Blest Vessel about the reason for cleaning our houses. It is God's house afterall. Everything in it is God's as well. We just get to use it for a while. So cleaning is glorifying God. Just my 2 cents.

 

[PollyAnna]

You're right. I was taking that sentence out of context of the paragraph. Thanks for putting it back. That makes more sense now.

Re the cleaning thing. I wish I could feel the way you guys do about it. But, even though it makes me look disrespecting of God, I just don't feel that way about it. If God were to visit my house I'm sure I would do my best to get things tidied but I'd most likely hire someone to come in and make it all shiny clean. I believe there are Marthas in this world and there are Marys. I'm definitely not Martha. But I'm still a work in progress so I suppose if God wants me to be Martha he'll work that in somewhere.

 

[PollyAnna]

I didn't really get a whole lot out of this chapter so I'm really looking forward to seeing what all of you have to say about this part of the book.

*********************

The only points that stood out to me really are:

Even though we know everyone eventually dies, death always seems unnatural and unfair. The reason we feel we should live forever is that God wired our brains with that desire!

Death is not the end of you! Death is not your termination, but your transition into eternity, so there are eternal consequences to everything you do on earth. Every act of our lives strikes a chord that will vibrate into eternity.

These statements really help me to understand why I don't like funerals and I have such a hard time when ppl I love die. I recently learned that a classmate and old friend died and I am still having a difficult time with that. And I regret that I didn't go to his funeral. But it makes sense to me now that I feel the sense of "unfairness" and being "cheated" when I learn someone has died. Because God wired us to believe we're going to live forever!

Question to Consider: Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing I should stop doing and the one thing I should start doing today?

My Answer: I'm not sure. I think I'm doing all that I'm supposed to be doing at this point in my life. **scratching head thinking**

If I think of something I'll come back and post it.

 

[PollyAnna]

Nobody has anything to say about Chapter 4?

I'm just popping in to say that I won't be around Monday and Tuesday but I'm taking my book with me and will be reading chapter 5 while I'm away.

 

[Mars]

Hey,

This is an awesome idea for a thread, unfortunately seem as I can't be on the internet much, I won't join discusion but I'm on day 21 now, and I think God has really worked with me through this book so far, its purely awesome.

I really hope you all get as much as I am getting from this book. GL with it

 

[BlestVessel]

PollyAnna, I'M SO SORRY! All week, I've been keeping my feet elevated. I got seriously injured and hadn't been reading my purpose driven life (because everything's SO FAR AWAY!) I've been on a little bit, but not really long enough to post or anything. I'm on it, now, though! Don't give up! I'll write soon!

Much Love,
April