(a chapter from the section, Inspire the Future, of my book, Heaven on Earth)
Do you live an inconvenient life? Is the grind of each day getting you down? If you had a choice, what could you change? Would you work less? Spend more time with the family? Build better relationships? Would you change your job? What aspects of your life don’t you like? What kind of adjustments could you possibly plan for your future?
We are all unique and we have our own unique fingerprints of likes and dislikes, loves and hates. We have our own desires of the heart. We have our own dreams. We have our own gifts, talents, strengths and weaknesses. The prevalent culture frequently appreciates us for our strengths and under-appreciates us for our weaknesses, but, in reality, we are shaped by both our strengths and our weaknesses. They are both important and useful to us.
I have to tell you this. You have got to love the life you are living. Otherwise, it will be such a waste to arrive at the end of your life in a life that you hate. Plan minor adjustments into your life until you are able to confess that you love your life. Write the adjustments that you plan down so that you will remember them. Repeat them until they become part of you. Remember … No sudden moves. Plan small changes at any one time. These are controlled changes that you plan to introduce into your life so that you can design and shape your life into a form that is more pleasant to you. It is different to forced changes that happen to you, which when it happens, can cause a lot of stress and unhappiness. Nevertheless, change when and however it occurs becomes another opportunity for growth when we choose a right and principled response.
Understand your identity, your purpose, and your destiny
Your identity is who you are. You shape your identity by thinking it. For example, I think I am beautiful, thus I become beautiful. I think I am creative, therefore I become creative. I think that I am confident, and I become confident.
Your purpose is the sum total of your gifts, talents, strengths and weaknesses. Your purpose defines what you are designed to do on planet earth. Clearly, if you work with your strengths, you will find it a whole lot easier and you will go a lot further than if you work with your weaknesses. So, identify your strengths and run with them.
Your destiny defines where you are heading. It is your life’s ultimate goal. This sets the compass and direction for your life. It takes a brave soul to chart a straight course heading towards your destiny.
Together these three factors, identity, purpose and destiny, determine your personal satisfaction with your life. They form a unique fingerprint for your life. Getting them right will require a good deal of self knowledge that you learn by trial and error, by making mistakes safely and forgiving oneself.
Being True to Ourselves
What do I mean when I say “Love the Life You live and Live the Life You Love”? It means that you have to be true to your unique fingerprint of true identity, true purpose and true destiny; and within our true identity, true destiny and true purpose we find our unique fingerprints of gifts, talents, strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, loves and hates. Frequently, the cultures that we are born into and the cultures in which we live in have the ability to distort our true identity, true purpose and true destiny. When that happens, we often need to find ourselves again. Sometimes, there is a change in season, and we are called to do a new thing in our lives. We have to be true to ourselves, to our calling. We have to live life authentically. We have to be honest with ourselves and before God.
May the grace and peace of Abba Father the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Thank You, Abba Father, Lord Jesus Christ.
In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Word Sabre, scribe for Abba Father, LORD GOD, Lord Most High, Lord Jesus Christ.