Always A Greater Purpose

I am someone who enjoys being encouraged by a good read. I had a friend come up to me at church one Sunday and she had shared a few words that God had put on her heart to share with me. They were inspiring and timely, as we were in the process of waiting to hear what was going to happen next with my heart. In the past, she has given me some pretty fantastic book recommendations, so I asked her if she had any others that she thought I might enjoy. One of them was “Secure in the Everlasting Arms” by Elisabeth Elliot.

If you don’t know the story of Elisabeth Elliot, I strongly encourage you to read about her life. Granted, at the beginning of this book, she gives a synopsis of her life in a short chapter. As I’ve been reading this book, I couldn’t help but take note of some incredible and profound truths in this read. First:

We demand an answer when we ought to pray for a deeper confidence in Him who is the Answer.

Can I just get an AMEN!? I feel like so often in my spiritual journey, I have been searching and searching for answers to life’s questions and scenarios. So many things in my life have not made sense, and I’m sure you could say the same. But really, circumstances do not have to make sense because we are not the holder of our futures. God is. He is the one who directs our steps and has a purpose for everything under the sun. He’s the one who has created us FOR a greater purpose. When we have the questions of life ringing in our ears, instead of searching and searching for answers, turn to His face, who IS THE ANSWER. Second:

Our heavenly Father knows to place us where we may learn lessons impossible anywhere else. He has neither misplaced nor displaced us. He assigns and designs according to His inscrutable wisdoms – always for our blessing and conformity to the image of Christ.

Have you ever felt that God has left you in the dust? Wondering what your purpose is? Why he has you in the job he does? Why he has you living in the town you do? Why God hasn’t called you out? Think about the truths spoken in the quote above – so that “we may learn lessons impossible anywhere else.” Right between the eyes, right there. Granted at this moment, I know for certain we are where we are supposed to be. But there have been times when I have wondered what, when, where, why, and how! Now this isn’t to say that God isn’t going to move you around. BUT HIS TIMING IS PERFECT!

If you are in a waiting period of life – wondering why God isn’t changing your circumstances or moving you to a “better” place, remember that HE is the Answer to our questions and that HE hasn’t misplaced you. He is using you for a very specific purpose at that specific time at that specific place. Even though you might be ready to throw in the towel, remember that God’s ways are so much higher than ours. Remember that you have a greater purpose than what you could ever imagine – because God, the Creator of the universe, is the one who is writing your story!