Do you often ask yourself what does the world need? Do you strive to make an impact on others’ lives? Are you progressing to a deep impact or just making dents? I struggle at times with my impact on society. I mean, seriously, I’m supposed to save the whole world, right? Then, I remind myself that Jesus had 12 close disciples to whom He shared stories, mentored and accepted their ignorance at times. Even in the acceptance of ignorance, though, He never stopped short of teaching them a better way and making sure they were challenged.

Follow me for a few moments. The disciples in my life are my children. I share stories of my life when I was their age, I mentor and at times accept their ignorance of life. This is my purpose. God has laid upon my heart to train up my children to be godly leaders. For our family, this means I am a stay-at-home mom. Does this mean my purpose stops here at home? No! I don’t believe God called me to stay in the house all day and not talk to others. I need others just like others need me, but they do not provide my ultimate fulfillment in life. But, I still must try to reach them.

John Eldredge, a famous author, once quoted someone else as saying, “Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Here in lies my problem and possibly confusion as of late. I tend to focus on the “what the world needs” rather than on “what makes me come alive”. When I focus on the world’s needs alone, I tend to do things I’m not necessarily good at doing. I become miserable and burnt-out because I did it out of guilt to simply fulfill a need. On the other hand, when I do “what makes me come alive” my attitude so far outweighs my actions that I am living proof change is possible in any circumstance.

Back to my disciples, a.k.a my children. I can preach to them constantly about how we must impact the world for God and be a living, breathing Jesus to them, but if I have a bad attitude about the process what good have I really done? It’s like the saying, “She has enough religion in her to make her miserable”. We know what we ought to do, but at times we are so pulled by the world that we make ourselves miserable. I feel this attitude can destroy most if not all the good my actions might have accomplished. Why would my kids or others desire to live the life I preach if I act like I don’t enjoy it with my attitude?

So, I steal a few moments away to quietly sit with God to ask Him what talents and abilities has He gifted me with to make me “come alive”. This is not asking Him to bless all my worldly and earthly desires. This is asking Him to show me what He created me to do and be. Only when I live in obedience to what He has called me to do will the peace of Christ truly dwell within me. Only then can I be happy and content with where God has brought me. This daily living of using the talents and abilities He’s given is more accurately my purpose. I desire to “come alive” every minute of every day.

How do you live your days most days? Are you feeling energetic and alive, or do you feel tired, beaten down and half dead? Maybe you’re somewhere in between. Maybe you start your day on the right foot with the proper perspective, but the daily challenges bring you down. You look around at what you must accomplish for the day’s tasks at hand only to feel defeated. In this haggard-down society, the quiet stealing away of time is very hard. Will you choose to have just enough religion to make yourself miserable? Or, will you ask yourself what gifts, talents and abilities has God-given to you? Will you choose to use them to “come alive”?

© 2012 Susan M. Sims

Image courtesy of jscreationzs at freedigitalphotos.net

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