Have you ever stopped to wonder: Are we simply living life, or are we on a journey? Perhaps there is a difference. When we look back at why God created us, we begin to see that our lives are not random or without purpose.
God created us in His image (Gen. 1:27). He created us for relationship with Him and with one another—to know Him, enjoy His creation, live in gratitude, and ultimately glorify Him (1 John 4:11).
God created all things with purpose, and that includes you and me. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand” (Eph. 2:10). Think about that for a moment. God did not simply create us beautifully and uniquely; He created each of us for a purpose and for this particular time in history.
That thought alone can change our perspective on life.
So often, we become lost in the shuffle of everyday responsibilities—our jobs, homes, children, marriages, friendships, ministries, finances, and countless demands competing for our attention. We rush from one thing to another, trying to keep everything together. At times, it can be exhausting and even exasperating. And yet, in the midst of it all, we can forget something profoundly important:God created us for a purpose, and He placed us here at this exact time for a reason.
We are not simply existing.
We are on a journey—life’s journey—God’s journey.And we do not walk this journey alone. God invites us into partnership with Him. He guides us, teaches us, strengthens us, and works through us. His presence is with us every step of the way.
So if God created us for relationship and purpose, where do we get stuck?
Unfortunately, humanity’s story includes sin. From the very beginning, we have been vulnerable to deception and temptation. Scripture warns us that our adversary is constantly looking for opportunities to deceive and draw us away from God (1 Pet. 5:8; Luke 22:31).
We see this pattern in the Garden of Eden. Eve knew God’s command. Yet the enemy appealed to her desires and caused her to question what God had said. The forbidden fruit represented something she wanted—the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience something for herself. Ultimately, she chose her own desire over God’s will.
That same struggle continues today.
The enemy often works through our weaknesses, desires, emotions, fears, and disappointments. Our emotions can become entangled with our thoughts, making it difficult to distinguish what is true from what merely feels true. We begin to question God’s Word. We rationalize. We compromise. We tell ourselves that what we want must be what is best.
And once we begin to question or compromise God’s truth, we become vulnerable to the enemy’s lies.
But here is the good news:
We have a choice.God has given us the ability to choose. We can allow our desires and emotions to direct us, or we can surrender them to God and allow His truth to guide us.Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23).
Self-control does not mean we never experience temptation, strong emotions, or difficult desires. It means we do not have to be ruled by them. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can pause, recognize the lie, resist the temptation, and choose what is true.
We choose.We choose whether we will follow our own path or trust God’s path.
We choose whether we will believe the enemy’s lies or stand on God’s truth.
We choose whether we will allow our circumstances to define us or allow God to transform us through them.
And when we choose God—when we choose His truth, His purpose, and His journey—we discover that His plans are far greater than anything we could have designed for ourselves.
God never promised that His journey would be easy. But He promised that He would never leave us.
Perhaps the question is not simply, “What am I doing with my life?”
Perhaps the greater question is:
“Where is God leading me, and will I choose to walk with Him?”
We are on a journey.
Life’s journey.
God’s journey.
And every day, we have the opportunity to choose His way. |
