Where to find Jesus and purpose in life?

[Is Antipas taken?97]

So short story, gave up a thing I shouldve let go off sooner and took a holiday from job to make more time for prayer. But now my concern is that I have no idea what to do with myself really. I thought once all the obstacles in my heart and time were gone, God would just show up and I'd have direction. Instead its like I've stripped down but don't know where to get new clothes of purpose. There's pretty much nothing I actually enjoy doing, I don't really know what my gifts would be spiritually or what I can add to the body of christ, and my prayer life has been getting wonky due to that empty space of silence that can be perceived as being ignored sometimes. So now I barely have the energy to pray and wait, In the bible it says that in renewing the mind we will know Gods will for our lives, problem is I don't percieve my mind has been renewed since like, last year, reading the bible is just words nowadays. It also says draw to the Lord, and he will draw to you, but the waiting alone is killing me, I just want to commune with Jesus, and know what my purpose actually is again. How do you approach God in moments like this?.

 

[Jh24]

I'm going through a similar situation atm, but from what I've learnt, one needs to have faith in God. God's will isn't something that we can can understand, all things happens according to his timing. The bible teaches that knowledge shall be given to those who ask so I's recommend asking the Lord for knowledge and purpose, often he reveals it to us i strange and wonderful ways. As it says in proverbs 3: 5 & 6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths." Take strength, for the Lord loves and wants what is best for your life, run to Him and you'll find that He is closer than you think and has always been there.

Oh and also, if you feel naked spiritually atm, clothe yourself in His grace.

 

[vinsight4u]

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[AvgJoe]

So short story, gave up a thing I shouldve let go off sooner and took a holiday from job to make more time for prayer. But now my concern is that I have no idea what to do with myself really. I thought once all the obstacles in my heart and time were gone, God would just show up and I'd have direction. Instead its like I've stripped down but don't know where to get new clothes of purpose. There's pretty much nothing I actually enjoy doing, I don't really know what my gifts would be spiritually or what I can add to the body of christ, and my prayer life has been getting wonky due to that empty space of silence that can be perceived as being ignored sometimes. So now I barely have the energy to pray and wait, In the bible it says that in renewing the mind we will know Gods will for our lives, problem is I don't percieve my mind has been renewed since like, last year, reading the bible is just words nowadays. It also says draw to the Lord, and he will draw to you, but the waiting alone is killing me, I just want to commune with Jesus, and know what my purpose actually is again. How do you approach God in moments like this?.

Question: "Why are there times when God seems silent / absent in a believer's life?"

Answer: In answering this question, one is reminded of Elijah and his flight from Jezebel. Elijah was a man of God whom God used to do some mighty things. However, when word reached him that Jezebel had threatened his life, he ran (1 Kings chapter 19). Elijah prayed to the LORD and in effect complained about how he was being treated: "And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away" (1 Kings 19:10). The LORD'S answer to Elijah is thrilling: "And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice" (1 Kings 19:11-12).

We see in this passage of Scripture that what Elijah thought was not true. Elijah thought God was silent and that he was the only one left. God was not only "not silent," but He had an army waiting in the wings so that Elijah was not alone: "Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him" (1 Kings 19:18).

In our walk as born-again believers, it may seem that God is silent, but God is never silent. What looks like silence and inactivity to us is God allowing us the opportunity to listen to "the still small voice" and to see the provisions that He has made for us by faith. God is involved in every area of a believer's life--the very hairs on our heads are numbered (Mark 10:30; Luke 12:7). However, there are times when we have to walk in obedience to the light that God has given us before He sheds more light on our path, because in this age of grace God speaks to us through His Word.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isaiah 55:8-11).

Therefore, when God seems silent to us as born-again believers, it may mean that we have stopped listening to His voice, we have allowed the cares of this world to plug our spiritual ears, or we have neglected His Word. God does not speak to us today in signs, wonders, fire or wind, His Spirit speaks to us through the Word, and in that Word we have the "words of life."

www.gotquestions.org/God-silent-absent.html

 

[Sketcher]

What has helped me:

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10

Our purpose is to be 1) moldable so he can form us, and 2) to do the good works he puts in front of us to do. Therefore, look for good works, and when you see that opening to do good, or you sense the Holy Spirit pushing you, go for it.

"He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more . . . Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'
And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." - Matthew 25:16-17,19-23

I was unsuccessful in one career path, and retrained and transitioned to another career path. In doing so, I learned things. In the job I have now, I have been able to develop another one of my "talents" and I have sought to be faithful in utilizing it. I never would have guessed that it would provide such a rich yield to me as a person and as a believer when I was in college. Life takes us on unexpected turns, and we can develop ourselves and do good for others in ways that we never would have imagined (a more extreme example - Joseph prospering in Egypt after he was sold there).

Therefore, get out there and live. That's where your opportunities to do good for your neighbors are. God will put opportunities and challenges in front of you as appropriate. And if he allows a trial, that too is an opportunity to draw closer to him in Scripture reading and in prayer. If the devil throws a ball at you, hit it.

 

[vinsight4u]

removed video

 

[FutureAndAHope]

So short story, gave up a thing I shouldve let go off sooner and took a holiday from job to make more time for prayer. But now my concern is that I have no idea what to do with myself really. I thought once all the obstacles in my heart and time were gone, God would just show up and I'd have direction. Instead its like I've stripped down but don't know where to get new clothes of purpose. There's pretty much nothing I actually enjoy doing, I don't really know what my gifts would be spiritually or what I can add to the body of christ, and my prayer life has been getting wonky due to that empty space of silence that can be perceived as being ignored sometimes. So now I barely have the energy to pray and wait, In the bible it says that in renewing the mind we will know Gods will for our lives, problem is I don't percieve my mind has been renewed since like, last year, reading the bible is just words nowadays. It also says draw to the Lord, and he will draw to you, but the waiting alone is killing me, I just want to commune with Jesus, and know what my purpose actually is again. How do you approach God in moments like this?.

When God is silent, it generally means He requires no change in direction. Relationship with Jesus does not require any special, thunder and lightning experience, nor a deep kind of fellowship. Basically we just need to follow His commands in the bible, and just live out our lives. I am not saying God will never communicate with you, for God does communicate from time to time, but don't expect daily conversations, I have not found that to be a realistic expectation.

 

[timewerx]

So short story, gave up a thing I shouldve let go off sooner and took a holiday from job to make more time for prayer. But now my concern is that I have no idea what to do with myself really. I thought once all the obstacles in my heart and time were gone, God would just show up and I'd have direction. Instead its like I've stripped down but don't know where to get new clothes of purpose. There's pretty much nothing I actually enjoy doing, I don't really know what my gifts would be spiritually or what I can add to the body of christ, and my prayer life has been getting wonky due to that empty space of silence that can be perceived as being ignored sometimes. So now I barely have the energy to pray and wait, In the bible it says that in renewing the mind we will know Gods will for our lives, problem is I don't percieve my mind has been renewed since like, last year, reading the bible is just words nowadays. It also says draw to the Lord, and he will draw to you, but the waiting alone is killing me, I just want to commune with Jesus, and know what my purpose actually is again. How do you approach God in moments like this?.

Pardon me if I may sound so brief, cold, and simple. But finding purpose is far simpler than that you may have read in different books or heard being preached.

There's are lot of people out there who likes to add much much more to it when it's only one thing. Beware of those who adds more to God's Words beyond its context.

We people love to put elaborate icing designs on the cake, make it incredibly complicated when the bread is the only thing that mattered.

This is simply it:

John 6:29 (NLT)
Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."

Very simple right?

But what is belief, really really?

John 14:12
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

 

[Joined2krist]

God will lead you. The Bible tells us that all things are work together for our good and it also says God orders our steps. I believe you're where you should be at this point, if you weren't, He'll be leading you to where He knows you should be, God bless

 

[NBB]

Keep seeking God and he probably going to do something special.

 

[TechyinAZ]

Have Faith my friend... I have gone thru similar experiences aswell:

I personally over the past year found myself lacking joy in doing almost anything. My joy for previous hobbies vanished to a degree.

However I have come to fully understand that Christ did this to help me bring me close to him even more. One of my prayers I ask Christ very frequently is for Him to help me love Him more and to cherish Him more and more.

When my joy (temporarily) vanished from all the activities and stuff I loved to do, it gave me no choice but to actively pray to God even more and to read His word more and more.

I am now super grateful that Christ did this to me, it was exactly what I needed for Him to bring me to Him even more.

I highly suggest you pray to God to help you have faith and trust in Him. This is absolutely crucial. The more I have prayed this, the more God has helped me stop worrying over stuff I usually worry about like future work and other stuff.

I hope this has helped you. I pray and trust that Christ will steer you in the right direction.

I suggest you read the book of Job and read John Pipers sermon on the book of Job. It is super inspiring. The whole book is based on the fact that God uses trials like ours to bring our minds into the right perspective about Him.