A thought on Purpose..

Lately in church a recurring theme thats been spoken about, has been purpose.. How do we know purpose is just a personal desire or god's will?.. Hmm Gea spoke about in her message, how it could be a little bit of both, How god gives us the desires of our hearts provided they glorify him. By align our desires with gods desires.

You must go through the crucible before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, cause in the crucible you learn to know god better.. God is working for his HIGHEST ENDS until his purpose and man's purpose become one.

I remember in year 10 english we studied a book called "The Crucible" which was about the Salem witch hunts and all that stuff and i remember the teacher explaining the symbolism behind a crucible..

A crucible in chemistry is a highly heat resistant cup-like thing that usually sustains very high temperatures (fair enough.. how does this relate?). What crucibles are generally used for is for melting certain substances for purification and what happens is that when the heating material is exposed to high temperatures, the heat energy breaks down intermolecular bonds or whatever chemical bonds the material has and therefore it melts. After a long time of applied heat, impurities within the substance is released and rises to the surface. Its sorta a way for chemists to purify and scoop out the inpurities on the surface.

When we go through a hard period or dry season of unfruitfulness, its like the process of purification in a crucible. Sometimes we can complain that its too hard, its too hot! i cant handle it! but this is just the process of god breaking us down, (breaking down molecular bonds). Most people can handle up to here but the next bit is the hardest bit.

Once bonds break, they can still be reformed (by cooling down) but god doesnt leave it there, he still sees the imperfections, the insecurities in our lives even when we've put down everything to follow him. Theres still more holding us back. and what it is is nothing more than ourselves (and other factors). The Familiarity, the Mundane, the ordinary. We give in to these insecurities, believing that its just US that its just the way we were made. I dont believe that god sent his precious son to die for us just so we can go to heaven and thats it, He also died for us so that we can be free from being prisoners to our insecurities, doubt, hopelessness.. (the list goes on.).

After a specific time and temperature unique to each material, the impurities are released from the mixture of the substance and rises to the surface. There comes a point when through constantly entrusting the refiner with everything we are, through circumstance and dry seasons that we break down, we give up our insecurities willingly, we open up to him and allow our inpurities to rise to the surface in his sight. Its only then that the refiner can actually see the materials ready and he scoops the impurities out of our lives and sees his own image reflected in the material. Of course it will hurt when God removes the junk from our life, the material loses a part of itself as well. But when they're gone, The material can then shine according to the purpose of its refiner, whatever shape or size, Lustre or strengthening, hardness or touchness etc.

If we're all honest here, i can say that ill never be a 100% pure titanium or platinum metal but every time we are refined we come closer and closer to that point of perfection as we keep our eyes on our refiner and not look at what a mess we are or what kind of a crucible we're in, how hot and unbearable it is.

While we're going through times of hardship and trouble, just remember that god's always monitoring you and the moment you think you're gonna evaporate from his will and purpose. Hes got the spatula ready to scoop out the unnecessary things from our life.

Lord i just pray thank you for this word on Purpose, I pray that we'll never let what jesus did on the cross for us be credited any less than he deserves, just our everything. I pray that you open my eyes to what is the junk in my life that i need to bring openly to you, i dont want to be held back from all that you'rve planned and purposed for my life. I thank you that already You'rve placed me on the path of recovery, from hurt, disappointment. I know that what you have in stall for me but more so what you have in stall for people around me through what ive been called to do, i pray you only recieve the best from me, all or nothing. Thank you for using me to speak life and encouragement into my brothers today. I felt so much joy to be able to be used for your pruposes after such a long season. I pray that i take nothing but give you all the glory that you deserve and more. Thank you lord for this day. In your name i pray. amen