Step 3 and 4 - Moving Toward your Purpse

Today I am going to combine the next two steps because they go nicely together.  

Step 3 is love others as Jesus loves you.   Loving as Jesus loves is one of your most basic life purposes.  It is critical to every other life purpose God has in mind for you.  What is loving as Jesus loves?  it is spending ourselves, investing ourselves, in the daily and eternal well-being of others.  It is a huge calling.   What you will find is - as you begin to focus on this next step - loving as Jesus loves - your love for Him will grow.  

Here are a few suggestions to get this step going:

1. Catch Yourself Making a Loving Difference:  Make note of anything you do that makes a loving difference in someones life.  This exercise will raise your awareness that you are fulfilling one of your life purposes by endeavoring to love God's people. 

2.  Offer Forgiveness:  Forgive someone today.  Don't put it off.  Forgive in honor of Jesus' forgiveness of you.

3. Take a Relational Opportunity Checkup:  What opportunities do you have at this time to develop specific relational habits?  (join a bible study, support group, working on family relationships, finding a prayer or accountability partner)

Step 4 is to Pursue Peace.  Peace is defined as a state of mind that is free from annoyance, distraction, and anxiety.  Peace is a stepping stone that will lead you toward God and his other purposes for your life.  You may ask, How do I pursue peace?  You pursue peace through spending time with God in His presence and in His Word.  Bottom line that is it.  It's not easy and it's easy not to but that is the answer.  As you spend time with Him you will grow and become more attuned to His ways and His character.  Then when you least expect it you will become more receptive to impressions He gives concerning your life purpose. 

Some suggestions for Step 4: 

1. Practice Silence:  Create opportunities for God to speak to you by practicing silence. 

2. Pray Continuously:  Train yourself in the habit of talking to and listening to God all day, every day.  

3. Purposely Change your Pace:  Learn to slow down.  Make a conscientious effort to eliminate the pressure of performing for awhile.

4. Avoid Peace Killers:  There are three main peace killers.  People - pleasing, keeping up with the Jones and worrying about things that are out of your control. 

Seek peace and pursue it.  Psalm 34:14