I must admit when I reread this section of The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren my answer to that question “What Drives Your Life?” is not as clear as it was many years ago when I taught this book to my Sunday School class.
Then I was assured, confident, working a full time job as a manager, teaching women’s ministry, teaching Sunday School and working on Wednesday with the children as an helper. You definitely want to purchase this book so you can read for yourself the five common things that drives your life. For me, years ago, I believed that the Lord was directing my life and my desire to be more like Christ and to be a servant of Jesus Christ. I never felt overwhelmed teaching during this time. However, my job was stressful and yet I had been working in a job I loved.
Life changes quickly as does the question “What Drives Your Life?” Never would I have guessed that years ago my direction would have changed. Rick Warren says about this chapter: “This forty-day journey will show you how to live a purpose driven life – a life guided, controlled and directed by God’s purpose.”
The author in this chapter, goes on to give you five benefits of living a purpose driven life.
Now…I am sure your interest has been peeked. What has changed my life and what drives it? Well, I can honestly say depression, loneliness and pain have driven my life the last few years. There must be hundreds of things that drives us. It could be resentment, anger, fear, pride, materialism, guilt, habit, pressure, wealth, fame and pleasure, and in my case depression, loneliness and pain. Now…that is changing in my life.
Sometimes we have seasons in our lives and it is important to realize that even though at one time we had our priorities and our goals in line with those we believe God wants that things change. Rick Warren, wants each reader to benefit from living a purpose driven life. He shares with us, “Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life. The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose.”
He goes on to tell his listeners that knowing your purpose will simplify your life. You won’t be over or under extending yourself. You will know what to focus your life on. Life is not what we cannot do, but what we can do with God’s help. For me, it is blogging. Knowing what God wants us to do brings us purpose and it becomes our motivation. Our life today needs to effect eternity in that we are the “Light of the World,” “The Salt of the Earth,” we belong to God and we are His children. It is the love that was extended to us, the forgiveness we experience and the joy that we have in knowing we are his chidlren which gives us the purpose to do all for His glory.
I needed to change my goals, I needed to see that I had allowed myself to fall into a life of despair and I need to look forward of finding ways God can still me use me, even though I don’t see how. Thanks for visiting my blog and have a good day.
Your writing style is verry nice. Impressing ! But still it is not clear what is the purpose of our life…!
I am going to blog today a summary of the book. It is designed to read in 40 days. Thanks so much for visiting and I hope you will continue to follow my journal.
thank you
Thank you for sharing your story. I too struggle from depression. You are right when you said that our ultimate purpose is to love and obey God. At times, I need to ask God minute by minute what I should do. He walks with me step by step and out the valley. What a great and loving God we have!
Your post was helpful to me today. I have decided to read and reflect through the Purpose Driven Life again too — the last time was about 10 years ago and I’m finding the experience really liberating and nostalgic as I reflect on my life and God’s presence in it.