Let Your Light ShineSample

Purpose = Present

Truth #2: You were created to shine a unique light.

You are not in this world and in this time by coincidence. Quite the opposite. God did not just design you to be the person you are, He also designed the time and place where you would live your life. Your personality, your year of birth, and the part of the world in which you were born—all are parts of God’s master plan:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blame- less in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." — Ephesians 1:3–6

Please read that again and again until you fully realize how amazing this perspective is. He chose you not just when you were born or even conceived in your mother’s womb. He chose you before the creation of the world! Before that first “Let there be light” He thought of you and planned you. You were already designed in God’s heart before He even designed creation, and He chose you to shine before the first man drew his first breath. God knew what He did when He gave you your unique personality and the ability to shine your unique light in your unique world in your unique time.

“You brought my inner parts into being; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will praise you, for You made me with fear and wonder; marvelous are Your works, and You know me completely.” – Psalm 139:13-14, MEV

This is the reason you are not like others and should never compare yourself with others. Why should you, when you are perfectly put together by God almighty, entrusted and enabled to shine exactly the light needed for the people around you to see.

Comparing yourself with others (only to fall short in the process) is one of the most common and devastating mistakes Christians make. Now, there is a positive kind of comparison, where we can look at other people’s faith, initiatives, and examples and be inspired to reach even further ourselves. But placing yourself next to someone else, only to assume that because you are not like them you are less able to shine and less likely to be used by God, basically means claiming that God has made a horrible mistake.

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.’” – Jeremiah 29:11

You are you—created and chosen by God to live in this world and in this time to shine a light uniquely designed by the Lord Himself to reach the exact group of people God knew from the beginning your life would touch.