finding purpose

One of the things that I think of often lately is purpose. I think about the purpose of the accident on my life, what can I learn from it, what can I teach others from it, how will the rest of my life may be changed by it...

More importantly:

Can I still live a meaningful life if I am not currently doing what it is that I believe God made me to do?

I believe that God gifts each person with skills and talents. I also believe that one of the gifts I have is teaching. Yet here I am, not doing what it is that I believe I was meant to do. I have struggled with my skill being tied to my purpose.

God gave me a pause in life, a time for rest and healing, and as odd as it may sound, I am getting closer to being at peace with where I am at. God has a bigger purpose for me, but in order to get there, I have to give my body the rest it needs. Just like we all need sleep every night to give us energy for the next day, my body also need rest to heal. The thing is, letting the brain rest is more complicated. I can't exactly shut it off. My brain has to work all the time to keep me alive. I can't just put it in a cast and not use it for a few weeks and expect it heal like a broken arm. Throughout this time of rest, I am learning that healing has a purpose, and right now, I can trust that it is ok to be in a place of rest.

It hasn't exactly been what I would wish for... this time of rest. I mean rest sounds great an all, but with rest and mellow days comes loads of time to think. During this time of rest, I struggle with this lie that I believe Satan tries to tell me: if I am not working, my life has no meaning. This is a complete LIE. I know this. Of course I can have meaning and purpose! I know I should not believe that lie. I can have purpose living and sharing Christ no matter where I am in life. Working, not working, going to therapy, being a wife, taking care of my home, or speaking to people around me wherever that may be.

I will continue to fix my eyes on Jesus and walk in His purpose for my life, no matter what I am doing or even if what I do changes from time to time. Right now, rest is where God has me. I need to let God speak His truth into my life and remember that He has a reason for why this happened. I trust that He knows what His plans are for me, and I will work on letting go of what I cannot control.

I pray for you, my reader, that no matter where you are in life... in the valley, or on the mountain top, that you will also trust that God has you in this place for a reason. Whether or not God rescues you from your struggles, there is a reason. He has a purpose for you. Trust that God is in control and that His love can get you through anything. If you will trust in Him, He will give you a peace that surpasses understanding. Even if that means you have to wait for a while, in a place of chaos or rest. I tell you this from experience. Trust in Him. He's got me, but He's got you too.

Something to reflect on in these verses:

God made these promise to the Israelites. I believe His promises to His people show His character. I find peace in these verses. The message version of the bible is not my favorite, but I love the way it describes this passage in

Jeremiah 29:10-14

"I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree.