Sometimes I wonder if my life really matters and if anything I’m doing has any real purpose. I know in my head what God’s Word says about my purpose. But we are so result-oriented that it would be gratifying to actually SEE that our life really matters. I wake up to the grind every morning—just like you—and sometimes, I wonder if I’m accomplishing all the great things God intended for me. But oh, I love how God is so faithful to remind me of my glorious purpose! MY IDEA of greatness—being like a Joan of Arc or Queen Esther—is not necessarily God’s idea of greatness for me.
God’s great plan for us was exemplified in how Jesus lived—in the trenches with humanity.
So what if my entire life was spent helping just one person find their way to God? Ok—sure, but that isn’t what I’d consider to be a life well-lived. All those years, days, hours…ministering to just one recovering drug addict, just one recovering alcoholic, just one recovering money addict, just one recovering self-addict, etc? Seems like a lot of effort to spend on only one person…right?
Clearly, God needed to remind me I was that addict and that someone thought I was worth pouring THEIR life into so I could know Jesus and be set free from the destruction of my sin. No doubt that—I think I’m worth it—right??? Evidently, someone else thought I was worth it, too. Someone thought I was worth discipling. Someone thought I was worth coming alongside through the many, many, many valleys. Someone thought I was worth praying for…
Someone else valued me enough to pour their life into me because—they understood my value to God.
Oh, what Divine revelation this is—that we are eternally significant —no matter how big or small our life seems in the eyes of everyone else!
We don’t have to be Billy Graham to be extraordinary. God believed us so special that He created us in HIS image. We EACH have intrinsic value. When we think disdainfully of another person, we have forgotten where we came from. We have forgotten that we both have the same extraordinary Creator.
And God thought we were worth dying for.
In C.S. Lewis’ book, “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe,” Edmund chooses to follow the White Witch. To redeem Edmund, Aslan allows the witch to take his own life. This is such a beautiful picture of Christ’s love for each of us. We have betrayed Him on an infinite scare—and He knew we would—but He still chose to give His life to redeem ours—His life in exchange for ours.
Jesus would have died for me even if I were the only one who had betrayed Him.
Jesus set the standard for love, so we could learn to live in His love. Your life matters. We are EACH an integral part of the church—and we ALL make a difference—good or bad. We can choose to live in either sacrificial, supernatural love, or in selfishness.
But it’s living in the flow of God ‘s love that makes our life really matter.
Jesus promises us that if we make Him the center of our life, He will take care of ALL our needs—including our need to have a life of significance. You matter to God. He has a plan for eternal greatness for you! Jesus said:
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:25-34
My friend, your life matters to your Heavenly Father.
We would love to hear your thoughts about this devotional. Did God speak to you or challenge your daily walk with him? Or is there a topic that you would like Kimberly to cover or expound on? Please share with us in the comments below.
To learn more about Kimberly Faith and the mission of Faith Strong, click HERE.
Out Now – Essential Faith, Volume II. Find it on Amazon by clicking HERE.
To learn more about Kimberly Faith’s ministry Fostering By Faith, click HERE.
One Response
Amen