Saved From Success 5-Day DevotionalSample

One of the biggest lies of the culture is that following your heart is the wisest thing you can do for yourself. The Bible says the heart is deceitful. It cannot be trusted. Rather than follow your heart, the wisest thing you can do is guide your heart. That’s how you were created. Your heart was not designed to be followed. It was designed to be led—by God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, and your brothers and sisters in Christ.

But all of this leaves a big question unanswered: What is your purpose? Unfortunately, I can’t tell you that. Your purpose is a treasure that only you can unearth through prayer, discernment, and wise counsel.

But I can help you rule out many possible diversions: your calling must complement rather than compete with your values. If pursuing something places insupportable pressure on your family or strains your marriage, that is not your calling. If chasing something would diminish your dignity or the dignity of others, that is not your calling. If embracing something would require feeding your sense of ego or greed, that is not your calling. You may be tempted to believe that your values and calling are flexible, but God’s call never compromises His Word. Calling must flow from your beliefs and convictions and priorities, rather than push against them.

I believe 1 Corinthians 10:31 sums up purpose nicely: “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” This verse explains both the constraints and freedoms of purpose. It reduces its point to activities as simple as eating and drinking but extends its territory out to “whatever you do,” making it clear that all of our actions are to glorify God. This scripture offers us unlimited expressions in our choice for career, job, passion, or profession. Sure, those choices must not include the practicing of sin, but we have freedom to express our righteous desires as long as God receives the glory.