LEADING A PURPOSEFUL LIFE

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/04/23

Psalm 27:4 says, “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” And the Lord Jesus said to Martha as she busied herself with preparations that she was “worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one” (Luke 10:41-42).

Read 1 Peter 4:1-6. If we have been transformed by Christ, we are meant to live for Christ—to glorify Him forever. When this is our ultimate aim, three things occur: We become mentally prepared, spiritually powerful, and ultimately approved.

First, if your purpose in life is to glorify God, you will be mentally prepared for any circumstance—including suffering. The agony of the cross could not deter Jesus from accomplishing His purpose. “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, . . .” (Hebrews 12:2). In the same way, when we fix our eyes on eternity, we will be ready to submit to the will of God regardless of the cost.

Second, armed with Christ’s attitude, you will be spiritually empowered to resist temptation. When you set your mind on pleasing God alone, you will not be caught off guard so easily by sin. Instead, you will rest in His mercy and grace, overcoming past and present sins, so that you can say with Paul: “[O]ne thing I do: . . . I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Finally, when your life is defined by glorifying, praising, and pleasing Jesus, you will be ultimately approved by the Lord on the day of accountability. When Jesus returns, those of us in Christ will escape His judgment. However, we still must answer for the way we lived our lives. On that day, we will be held accountable for whether we lived for ourselves or lived for Him who died for us (see Matthew 12:36).

Are you living a life that is glorifying God? It is never too late to seek after His purpose for your life. Ask for God’s help today to live for Him—for He is the one thing you need most.

Prayer: Jesus, I know You are the one thing I need above all else. I long to live for You. Give me the strength and wisdom to live a life that honors You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God” (1 Peter 4:2).