Often, growing up, I’d think about my purpose. What is it? Why am I here? Why did God create me? What can I do for Him? What world changing impact did He make for me?
As I’ve grown, I’ve realized how small I am, and how big God’s plan is.
Ephesians 1:9-10 says:
9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him.
(ESV)
So this mystery, this purpose, which God set forth in Christ, his plan – for how things WILL BE in the fullness of time, IS:
TO UNITE ALL THINGS IN CHRIST, THINGS IN HEAVEN AND THINGS ON EARTH IN HIM.
This realization connects all doctrine, all purpose, all ministry, and the reason that we exist. This is the essential glasses through which all Scripture should be read through.
On that day, when we are standing before God, he will ask, did you do my will or yours, and the answer will be clear – did we advance the will of God to bring all things in heaven and on earth into unity with Christ in Him? Or not?
Did we use the gifts He gave for His will? or my own?
But I prophesied, and healed, and sacrificed, and spent 40 years slaving for this ministry that i was doing for you… or was I? Was I going against you the whole time? If your will is to bring us together as one mature bride, and I was pushing for a small group of people to have an ‘encounter’ with God, and support my ministry at the same time…
Ephesians 4:11-13:
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
The purpose of these gifts is only “UNTIL we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”
Emphasis added!
The goal is NOT to build a successful ministry that gathers thousands! It’s NOT to grow our influence. It’s certainly not to be financially successful! The goal is to have one mature bride, holy, separate from this world, pure and spotless, waiting for Jesus, and doing His will until He returns.