Don’t Miss Your LifeSample

Choose Significance

What is your purpose?

It’s why you are here.

God once spoke to a guy named Simon about his purpose. Jesus called him Peter. Actually, Jesus didn’t just speak to Peter, he got in Peter’s boat. Peter was a fisherman. Peter’s father was a fisherman. I’m guessing his father’s father and his father’s father’s father were fishermen too. Here’s the point: Peter understood how to fish. Jesus did not. But he still got into Peter’s boat to begin a conversation.

Has God ever spoken to you?

You would need to know what God’s voice sounds like, but if you do, what did God say?

“Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4 NIV).

That’s what God said to Peter, the fisherman.

How would you respond?

“Yes! I’ll do it! Whatever you say, Jesus! You’re God. I’m not. I’ll follow your lead.”

Maybe it’s easy to follow Jesus when you don’t feel like you know what to do. But what if God tells you to do something that seems contradictory to what you’ve been taught or what you’ve experienced or what’s created success in your life before?

That’s probably why Peter says: “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything” (Luke 5:5 NIV).

Can you blame Peter for his response? He was up all night. Working hard. Plying his trade. Then Jesus comes along peddling free advice. Jesus is God, but still…he’s not a fisherman. So, Peter makes an excuse.

It’s like the man called lame who sat by the pool for thirty-eight years. Jesus asked him a simple question, “Do you want to be well?” (John 5:6 NIV).

“Um, yeah, but…”

Just like Peter, the man called lame made an excuse. The irony is that he wanted to be well. Purpose works the same way. You are free to choose what you live for—happiness, health, family, friends, hobbies…you get to choose. What’s your goal? What’s your target? What is your purpose?

You can choose anything you want, but if you want life to the full, choose significance—and not your own—the significance of God.