Tag Archives: purpose

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What Is A Sabbath And Why Do I Need One?

The Bible commands us to remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy. The concept of the Sabbath, a day of rest and reflection, is deeply embedded in various religious traditions around the world. In the Abrahamic faiths, particularly Judaism and Christianity, the Sabbath holds immense importance and is an important part of the foundation that everything else is built upon. Today I want to talk about some of the reasons behind God’s establishment of the Sabbath and spend a little time thinking about the sabbath’s enduring relevance, especially in the hustle and bustle of the contemporary society we live in today!

Sabbath Commemorates Creation

One of the primary reasons God instituted the Sabbath is to commemorate the creation of the universe as described in the Book of Genesis. According to the Bible, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day. By observing the Sabbath, believers are reminded of God’s creative power and the sanctity of all life. Rest is not a bad thing, it is a necessary thing. All of us should build rest into our lives. Rest allows time for the resetting of our mind, re-energizing of our body and revival of our spirit.

Sabbath Is A Time For Spiritual Renewal and Reflection

The Sabbath provides a designated time for individuals to disconnect from the demands of everyday life and focus on their spiritual well-being. It allows meaningful time for introspection, meditation, and a deeper connection with the Divine. This period of rest rejuvenates the soul and fosters a sense of inner peace. Our lives discover their greater meaning through the discipline of a sabbath.

Sabbath Helps To Build Community & Strengthen Family Bonds

The Sabbath encourages getting together for worship and growing family togetherness. It provides an opportunity for families and communities to gather, share meals, and engage in meaningful conversations and meaningful fellowship. This communal aspect strengthens social bonds and nurtures a sense of belonging, which all of God’s creation needs.

Sabbath Teaches Us To Resist The Tyranny of Work

In a world driven by productivity and materialism, the Sabbath serves as a counterbalance. It reminds individuals that their worth is not solely determined by their work or achievements. Taking a day of rest acknowledges the inherent value of each person and their need for spiritual and emotional nourishment. It is one of the greatest ways to take on and take out the attack of our ego.

Sabbath Promotes Physical And Mental Well-Being

Regular rest is crucial for physical health and mental well-being. The Sabbath encourages individuals to prioritize self-care, allowing them to recharge and face the challenges of the week ahead with renewed vigor. It is very possible to burn yourself out and then you are literally good for nothing.

Sabbath Encourages Us To Practice Gratitude

Observing the Sabbath fosters a sense of gratitude for the blessings in one’s life. It prompts individuals to reflect on the abundance they have received and acknowledge the source of their blessings. This gratitude cultivates a positive outlook and a deeper appreciation for life. The old Gospel hymn says to count your blessings and name them one by one…

Sabbath Sets a Moral and Ethical Standard

The Sabbath emphasizes the importance of ethical behavior and justice. It calls believers to reflect on their actions and consider how they can contribute to a more compassionate and just society. This moral reflection extends beyond the Sabbath, influencing daily conduct. It is amazing how just slowing down and getting quiet will allow the mind to find solutions that were there all along.

The establishment of the Sabbath by God carries profound spiritual, communal, and ethical significance. It serves as a timeless reminder of our connection to the divine, the importance of rest and reflection, and the value of human relationships. In a fast-paced world, the Sabbath stands as a bright light of tranquility and a continual source of spiritual nourishment, offering respite and renewal to all who take the time to observe it by putting it into practice.

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Finding Your God- Given Purpose!

We live in a world filled with challenges and it is very easy to get so caught up and lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday living. And in this very mixed up place it is very possible and most likely that we will lose sight of the deeper questions that echo within our hearts that are meant to guide us to better and more productive places. Questions like: “Who am I?” “Why am I here?” You know, those fundamental questions about our purpose in life which often lead us on a quest for real meaning and personal fulfillment. Many believe that understanding and embracing our God-given purpose is the key to unlocking a life of true significance and I have to agree that this is the track that we need to be traveling on.

Discover The Source Of Your Purpose:

Our sense of purpose is intricately woven into the very fabric of our existence. For those who believe in a higher power, understanding that they are created by a loving God provides a proper foundation for discerning our unique purpose. This belief suggests that each individual is intentionally designed for a specific role or calling in this grand tapestry of life. This makes sense to me, because when I look around, I see a design and if there is a design, then there must have been a designer.

Unfold Your Unique Talents and Passions:

God endows every individual with a set of unique talents, gifts, and passions. These innate qualities serve as clues to our purpose. When we identify and cultivate these gifts, talents and skills, we often find ourselves naturally gravitating towards activities and pursuits that bring us joy and fulfillment and this is a great indicator of where we can locate and get in touch with our purpose.

Serve Others As Light To Guide You To Your Purpose:

One of the most powerful ways to fulfill our God-given purpose is through service to others. Acts of kindness, compassion, and selflessness not only impact the lives of those we serve but also provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment for ourselves. This principle is echoed in many faith traditions, emphasizing the profound impact of loving our neighbors and is best summed up by the Golden Rule, which states that we should do unto others as we would have others do unto us.

OvercomeChallenges And Navigate Detours:

The journey towards fulfilling our God-given purpose is not usually a straight path, in fact it is often a bumpy road of curvy ups, downs and sideways. Challenges, setbacks, and detours are part of the human experience. It is in these moments of adversity that we can, in fact discover real opportunities for growth and self-discovery. Trusting in God’s plan, even when it seems unclear, can lead to unexpected blessings and a deeper understanding of our purpose.

Live With Intention And Mindfulness:

Living with purpose requires intentionality and mindfulness. It involves aligning our actions, decisions, and priorities with our understanding of God’s calling for our lives. This may mean letting go of distractions, negative influences, or unhealthy habits that hinder our progress towards fulfilling our purpose. The biggest battle you will ever face will be with yourself!

Find Fulfillment Beyond Material Success:

The world today often equates success with material wealth or external achievements. This is why it is extra important to recognize our God-given purpose and how it can lead us to a deeper, more meaningful form of fulfillment. True contentment is not solely found in worldly possessions, but in the knowledge that we are living in accordance with our divine calling by being who God created us to be and by doing what God gifted us to do.

Embrace The Ever-Evolving Journey:

Understanding and embracing our God-given purpose is not a static endeavor. It’s a dynamic, ever-evolving journey that requires openness to growth and change. As we mature and gain new insights, our understanding of our purpose may deepen, leading us to new opportunities for service, learning, and self-discovery. It is not about perfection and getting everything right. It is about learning from our mistakes, sins and failures, so that we are better the next time around.

Live And Learn!

Embracing our God-given purpose is a transformative journey that offer us the invitation to seek a life of meaning, significance, and fulfillment. It calls us to recognize our unique gifts, while using them to serve others with love and compassion, all the while trusting in the divine plan even and most especially in times of uncertainty. As we walk this path, we discover that our purpose is not only a destination but a way of living that brings light and hope to the world around us and this is purpose fulfilled…

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Life Is Tough!

Let’s be real honest: Sometimes life is tough, I mean it’s just plain hard. I mean there are days that we say to ourselves: “This is just not fair!” You know the kind of day I’m talking about. The one where you don’t want to get out of bed or if you did make it out, you’re thinking to yourself you should go right back. Trust me, I’ve had more than my fair share of those days and every now and then, they still try to creep up on me. It is important to realize that some days are going to be good and easy, and some days are going to be bad and hard, but a day is just a day and when you finish this one, there is another one coming.

Life has a way of making us focus on the bad and it is true that what we usually tend to focus on, we often get more of. I have discovered in my own life and living that a bad day does not have to mean a bad life. In fact, I am learning that some of life’s greatest lessons are learned in and through the bad stuff, so if I can just learn whatever the bad is trying to teach me, then I can grow on beyond it.

When I am having one of those bad days, I try to ask myself as soon as possible: “What needs to be fixed?” If there is something that can be fixed, then I want to fix it and not waller around in misery. When I find myself in the “bad place”, I ask myself: “It there a crisis that can be prevented?”, and if not, then why am I wasting my time worrying about it? Another self question that helps me fix my perspective is: “What new thing do I need to make life better?” In other words: Is their a new attitude that I need to adopt, a new belief I need to grab hold of or a new perspective that I’ve never considered before???

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:4-7

I’ve discovered in living through just enough bad days that just as easily as our focus can be shifted from the positive to the negative, it can be shifted back from the negative to the positive. We’ve got the power. When life moves us from the positive to the negative, this shifted focus automatically moves us out of gratitude and into worry! Once worry takes over, we have a battle on our hands to not keep digging the hole deeper. It’s just part of life that there are going to be good days and bad days. The secret is to live and learn from them and not get stuck in the bad days and empower them to become weeks, months and possible even years.

Here are a few tips to grow through the bad to the good and get the most out of all that God has for you:

1.) Embrace The Experience!

Whatever flows to you has a purpose and the sooner you discover and embrace it’s purpose, the sooner it and you can move onto something else and something better. We cannot always avoid the negative, so sometimes we have to embrace it and get from it whatever it came to teach us.

2.) Deal With Reality!

Often, we think if we pretend everything is okay, then it will be, but when we eventually get back to reality, problems that we have not dealt with and worked through are still there and have often grown in size and complexity. If you are going through a bad time, then be honest and figure out what and why, and deal with it. The sooner you go through the process, the sooner the process will accomplish what it is there to do and you can move on to bigger and better.

3.) Do Your Part!

I’ve discovered through the years that most all of my bad days where in some way influenced by me and my attitudes and thoughts. When I started to accept responsibility for my life and began to hold myself accountable for making better choices and decisions, my life began to change. It was not that I did not have bad days, but the days became shorter and fewer.

4.) Count Your Blessings!

If you know me, then you know my belief in the power of gratitude. When my girls were little and would get ungrateful attitudes, I would have them go to their room and make a gratitude list. Taking the time to thank about all of the blessings we have in our life is often one of the quickest ways to shift our focus from the negative to the positive.

5.) Live, Learn, Laugh And Love!

This life is God’s gift to us and what we do with it is our gift to God. Live – It’s what you were created for. Learn – It’s one of God’s greatest gifts to help us become, which is really living. Laugh – Life really is funny and laughter is fun. Love – God is love and He created us in love to love. When we receive His love and share His love, it creates a powerful flow of the stuff of God flowing to and through us and this is what our existence is all about…

Life is tough, but so are you. You’ve got this!