Good morning everyone,

1 Corinthians 9:22-23-To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

There have been numerous times in my life when I asked God the question, "what is the reason I am in a specific place or situation?" Usually that question came from my ignorance as to what God wanted to do with me in the specific place I was at. Though that maybe a very basic thing to answer at times, there are other times when things don’t seem to make sense "naturally" or things have become very difficult and we desire an immediate answer and comfort from it. Whatever it is though, I’ve learned that God has brought me great purpose and eventually peace that whatever I’m going through, I am being made for others for the gospel sake, which blesses me as well!

If you recall, Moses before he led the children of Israel for 40 years through the wilderness he was leading his father-in laws sheep. He began leading sheep because he was fleeing from a murder he committed while trying to self-appoint himself as the "deliver" of Israel from Egypt. Moses had to be asking the question while leading the sheep "why are my people suffering and I can’t do anything about it doing this?" Yet God was teaching him a lesson while leading sheep on how to be patient and wait on the appointing of God to do what you can only accomplish in His power.

Living a life that has been called by Christ to live with a purpose allows us to look back at the things that have shaped us, even until now, and know that we are made to be a witness for people. The apostle Paul saw his whole life flowing from the reality that he is being made to relate to people for the gospel sake! Immediately that brings a glorious purpose to the people we are connected to or just met, or going to meet! If you believe God is completely in control, we cannot live peaceably for our own glory. Nor can we discount the truth that whomever God has put in our path, it is for a reason greater than our own pleasure of knowing them. But when it is for the gospel sake, we’re loving them at the highest degree possible. Because such actions are declaring to them, that knowing Christ and growing in Him is a greater love and joy than what they maybe settling for.

In His Love, Ld