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18 Jul

The Quest: to “Find Yourself”

Legend has it that during the renowned decades of the 60’s and 70’s, a cultural movement was birthed to “find” oneself. Now this being a noble quest, it was generally only embarked upon by those brave souls willing to cast aside the leaden anchors of “the establishment” for the vast poppy fields of some multi-dimensional utopia. And the fearless soldiers willing to pioneer this mission? They were known as “hippies”—those heroic spirits who faithfully preached the gospel of “free love,” mind-expanding substances, and marathon meditations at communes overseen by the latest guru-du-jour. Consequently, LSD provoked excursions into realms of “higher consciousness;” Jimi Hendrix supplied the psychedelic melodies to accompany those trips; and “love” and “peace” embraced all who engaged in the evolution of humankind to a higher spiritual dimension. And why again? All to answer the eons-old question: “Why am I here?” But—did it work?

No.

The Quest

This mission to find one’s purpose in life is nothing new. Since the dawn of time, cavemen have etched their artistic queries into the nearest rock wall while millions of years later, in a static-filled broadcast from the moon, astronauts would announce their solution to that intangible question: “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.” But a giant leap toward what? Toward the answer to that galling mystery: “What is my purpose in life?”

The ironic thing is that despite our advances in technology, medicine, psychology, and philosophy, many millions world-wide still, like hysterical ants, run amok chasing the elusive answer to that burning question in all its universal forms:

  • Who am I?
  • Why was I born?
  • Where am I going?
  • How do I “find myself”?
  • What is my purpose in life?
The Answer  

The solution to this grand cosmic riddle is not so mysterious after all. In fact, the answers to these questions have been around longer even than all of the cathedrals, temples, and mosques built to answer them. Our purposes have been staring us in the face for over two thousand years. Here are just a few:

  • “’Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind, and soul… and love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22:37-39)
  • “’Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight the paths for him’” (Luke 3:4)
  • Feed the hungry and thirsty, clothe the naked, include the stranger, care for the sick, and visit those in prison. (Matt. 25:35-40)
  • “’Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation’” (Mark 16:15).
  • “…always stand for the truth” (II Cor. 13:8)

These are just a miniscule portion of the instructions given in the Word of God regarding what we’re supposed to be doing. Of course, the objection is usually some form of “Not everyone is called to do ministry.” Correct. However, everyone is called to do any or all of the above at any given time during any given day. We don’t have to be prophesied over, Bible-school educated, ordained, or “in ministry” to love God and people, to care for those who need our help, to share the Gospel or to stand for truth. Still, the ways we do this will be unique to the calling the Lord has given to each of us.

The War for the Culture

Years ago—I don’t know when—Lance Wallnau released a teaching on what he called the “Seven Mountains of Culture”. His premise is that every culture, past or present, is comprised of seven components of culture and that whoever “owns” these mountains, essentially rules the culture. (Since then, I’ve taken the liberty of adding an eighth mountain.) The eight mountains are the Church, the government, the family, the business/marketplace realm, education (PK-college), the media, the world of arts/entertainment and, I might add, the field of technology. With the rapid growth of industries like AI (Artificial Intelligence), robotics, and human engineering, we desperately need Christians in this industry as well as in every other one of the seven components of culture.

The point is that every one of us has been assigned by God to at least one of these mountains to fulfill, in some shape or form, the purposes listed above. If we teach or preach, it’s for the sake of sharing and standing in the truth of the Gospel. If we minister—whether in a church, a hospital, or a home—it’s for the sake of caring for people and meeting their needs. If we work in the business realm, it’s for the sake of helping to fund the kingdom of God.

There is no work that cannot benefit the Kingdom of God.

Your “Calling”

It doesn’t matter what you’re called to do, you have been specifically assigned by God to do that particular thing on the individual mountain he’s called you to. Moreover, your desire to do that thing is not an accident or a random occurrence but a God-ordained purpose for you to fulfill.

  • “’You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last…’” (John 15:16).
  • “Lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God” (Eph. 4:1).
  • “’We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned to us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work’” (John 9:4).

These scriptures are just a few of many confirming our assignments. Moreover, each of us has a Book of Destiny in heaven which, according to King David, contains a page outlining God’s purpose for each day of our lives. “…all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be” (Ps. 139:16). Nevertheless, this does not mean that we have no free will in determining what happens in our lives; rather, the books of destiny indicate God’s intended will for our lives but we are free to reject those plans and purposes if we choose. However, the good news is that if we’re willing to ask him, God is more than happy to reveal our God-given destinies, including the culture mountains on which we are to accomplish those purposes.

There’s nothing more fulfilling than finding the will of God for our lives and then accomplishing that will. And it doesn’t take mind-altering drugs, a visit to the village psychic, or a trip up a mountain peak to confer with the Dalai Lama to figure out what we were born to do. Just open the book—the Word of God.  

That’s where you’ll “find yourself.”

 

 

 

Cynthia Noble
2 Comments
  • Zane Reavis

    This is awesome and powerful.
    It is factual and has scriptural steps that are easy to follow and comprehend.
    It’s all so simple yet we Christians complicated by mixing in the worlds philosophy. In this article you have done an anointed and professional job of separating the two.
    Zane

    July 18, 2019 at 10:50 am