The Good Life

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)

My life hasn't gone at all according to my dreams and plans. My struggle comes in trusting in God's goodness and His ultimate designs and plans for my life. I feel every human being deeply desires two things in life: Relationship (to love and be loved) and Purpose (a reason why we were born). Thus the drive and strong desire to work, get more involved at our churches and start a family. While I believe all of these desires are good and placed there by God, they might not happen the way we had hoped and planned. Why?

The bible speaks often of rewards and how we will be rewarded based on our works. (Revelation 22:12) Well what is this reward? Ruling? There are indications of this. Crowns and glory? Also the bible speaks on this. However, I believe the reward answers our deepest longings for relationship and purpose. I believe we were created for relationship with God. Sin is born out of our desire to find satisfaction in anything other than God. Ultimately both our salvation and reward can both be found in Jesus. To know Him as we are now fully known. In Him we find the mending of the fall, the broken relationship with God. In Jesus we find both the relationship we were created for and the fulfillment/purpose we deeply long for. This life can be a frustration at times since the world and everyone in it is broken and the love we find will be conditional and imperfect. So “we love Him because He first loved us” becomes a more practical every day understanding (1 John 4:19). So as sinful people who love conditionally, we are able to better love and receive love from other sinners because we love and are loved by a perfect God who loves us unconditionally. Our purpose? To encourage the saints and fulfill the Great Commission. While this love and purpose can certainly be fulfilled in marriage and starting a family, we are not promised this.

Why did my dad pass away in 2008? Why did my mother pass away last year? Why am I out of work for the 5th or 6th time? Why haven’t any of these past relationships worked out? I believe all these questions will be answered when I am with the Lord. I believe the question "why didn't my life turn out the way I had hoped?" will be answered by Jesus displaying our lives before us as part of His redemptive workmanship. As He wipes away every tear He may say something like: "See I told you I had plans to prosper and not harm you. I told you I had plans for you you wouldn't believe." (Jeremiah 29:11 & Habakkuk 1:5).

Several years ago I told a buddy of mine that I wanted to go to seminary. While even to this day I strongly desire a ministry of teaching, encouraging and discipling I still think back to this friend's response. He said "Everyone wants to do something big and important for God, but all God calls us to do is to Trust and Obey". Now this doesn't mean we shouldn't seek out relationships and purpose in this life. For me it means this is what God is more interested in, in my life. In my relationships, in my work and ministries I am called to trust and obey God. So He is more interested, perhaps, in how He can help me to trust and obey Him more? I can plan my life, but I must acknowledge God's authority in it (Proverbs 19:21). At the end of the day I can either trust in His good character and intentions for my life or I can become embittered towards my circumstances. For me this is a daily struggle, but fortunately He is new every morning and I am called to pick up my cross and put on my armor daily.