Finding True PurposeSample

Day 5 - You are unique and treasured

Most people think about purpose in the context of a job or profession. They skip all the aspects of worship, service and love looking for their career path. Work is part of who God made us to be but not all we are. We have to understand what work is.

God created us for His glory, but He also planted a garden and put Adam in it to cultivate and maintain it. Additionally, Adam and Eve were to subdue and rule over the earth.  Cultivate means to foster growth and to improve. To maintain means to preserve from failure or decline. To subdue means to exercise control and discipline. Rule over means to administer, take responsibility for, and make decisions. 

This mandate applies to all vocations. It means all jobs should be acknowledged as ministries and every workplace should be considered a mission field.

God revealed Himself to the world by His work. Thus, work reveals something about the one doing the work. It exposes underlying character, motivations, skills, abilities, and personality traits. Jesus echoed this principle when He declared that bad trees produce only bad fruit and good trees only good fruit. 

Whatever we do should be to God’s glory. The term glorify means - "to give an accurate representation while recognizing the supreme excellence that is actually true.” Therefore, work done by Christians should give the world an accurate picture of God in righteousness, faithfulness, and excellence.

God made each of us as unique and treasured creations made in His image. He shows us that work is done not only to benefit the worker, but others. He also shows us work in any form is a gift from God, and He equips His people for their work. 

We each have free will to choose what to do and how to use the special gifts He has given each of us. We find peace and joy in work when we do it to bring glory to Him and help others. 

Father God, thank you for creating, knowing and loving me. Help me find peace in how I work and serve you in the process. Help me know that you have me where I am for a reason. Amen.