Life can either happen to you or you can engage spiritual principles and live life on purpose. There is elegance to a person and their life when the life is being lived from a standard of truth. There are many spiritual laws and taking time to study these will richly bless the life. Here are two laws of great significance:
• The law of reciprocity: Give and it shall be given unto you.
• The law of self-determination: Whatsoever you sew, you reap.
You can either be master of these laws or they will master you. For instance, the law of reciprocity is about giving and receiving. Some people turn this into a business transaction or a place for getting noticed…again buying something rather than giving. We are to freely give and, if possible, give in secret.
In order to give with a cheerful spirit, one must develop the attitude of abundance. Let’s use tithing as an example. Most people approach tithing from a scarcity mentality: 100% - 10% = 90%. A tither who gives from the spirit of abundance understands it this way: 100% X 10% = 1,000%. This is the math of Heaven and models the abundance of Heaven….give and it shall be given.
It takes courage – an elegant courage to discipline and govern the self. Understand that you either live within these laws and are blessed, or you live in conflict with these principles and find that “That which I fear comes upon me; and that which I dread comes upon me.” Job 3:25. This is another spiritual principle that once understood empowers a person to proactively deal with not only fear issues but other emotions that need to be processed.
The law of self-determination, or sewing and reaping, is basically the law of attraction. An elegant person “sews” courtesy, forgiveness, patience….all those fruits of the spirit. More often than not, these graces will be returned to you. Always? Probably not. Given that, living life “on purpose” and “with purpose” turns a challenge into a learning experience rather than a blame game. Life, then, becomes an educational opportunity.
What do you believe about living life? Is it being pursued proactively or is it on default mode so that everyone around you has to pick up the pieces? No one is put here to make everything wonderful for you. No one is put here to pick up your responsibility. No one is put here to be your dumping ground for all your problems. My lack of planning does not mean that someone else is responsible for that which is my responsibility.
“He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility.” Proverbs 15:32,33. The best place for instruction is from the Word of God. Humility is the starting place for learning to live the elegant, purposeful life. Asking for help…asking for mentoring…having a spiritual accountability partner…being wise in the Word…these are proactive approaches that help create an elegant life.
Living life on purpose is something you plan. How am I going to serve others today? What am I going to do to proactively say to people that they are loved? What am I going to do that is a living out of the golden rule? Do I live life on purpose in a way that includes self-care? You cannot give away what you do not have...not for long anyway.
This world seems to be full of entitlement mentality. Give me, give me, give me. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Living life on purpose tears down that selfishness. We can all be selfish. It takes some thoughtful planning to see beyond our own needs and wants. Maybe this is the first step to living life on purpose and being this kind of elegant person.
No comments:
Post a Comment