Pursue Peace, Pray, Persevere, and Live Out Your Purpose!

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is”

Ephesians 5:15-17 (ESV)

You may ask yourself, what is my purpose ... My calling?

Have your circumstances caused you believe that what God has called you to do is impossible to achieve? Maybe you have been bound by an addiction such as pornography, shopping, or maybe you are solely focused on yourself. Or maybe you have been the one that has been offended by a family member. No matter what you have experienced or are experiencing, God still has a purpose and call on your life, and He can bring it to pass!

Ezekiel 34:25-27 (ESV) tells us, “And I will make them and the places all around my hill to be a blessing, and I will send down showers in their season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them.”

We do not get to choose our seasons nor our circumstances; however, we do get to choose our mindset and how we will either react or respond to the changes in our lives.

It Is Spiritual Warfare . . .

How will you battle the war? Will you stand on the front line? How will you use your time? Will you persevere and fight for things of the Kingdom, or will you become distracted by the world and allow the enemy to take territory that does not belong to him? Will you allow the enemy's lies to infect your being, your marriage, your family, and fill your mind with “head trash” causing you to believe that God’s plan for your life is NOT good? Or will you fight and stand guard at your post?

This is not an easy journey. In fact, true perseverance is so hard - especially when you are weak, tired, worn out, and completely exhausted by and from your circumstances. Have you ever endured physical pain and emotional pain that stretched you beyond what you thought you could bear?

My Experience . . .

In October 2001, my husband Chris and I ran the Chicago marathon - a full 26.2 miles! This pressed, pushed, and stretched me further than I could ever have imagined. As we came up on mile 22, I wanted to quit, sit down, and stop. My body was weary, my feet hurt, and my legs felt so heavy. I was miserable. I was crying, and I asked Chris,  “Can we please sit down?”

My husband, the great encourager, said “NO! We must keep going, pressing onward. We are almost at the finish line!”

I could have quit and laid down, but NO. Instead I chose to listen to his voice pressing me onward toward the goal; And in the final six tenths of a mile something came over me. Something changed internally. Something happened physically. Chris and I took off and sprinted full force for the finish and crossed it together, lifting our hands up! We held onto each other for strength.

Will you take hold of His promises for you? For your husband and your family? No matter what, will you

Pursue Peace?

Persevere?

Pray? and

Live Out Your Purpose?

You may ask, “How?” When your life seems to be completely out of control, live out your purpose in midst of grief, sorrow, and heartache? How do you love and forgive others, forgive yourself, and even God?

Ask Yourself  . . .

First, ask yourself, “Has God loved me? Forgiven me?” Well then, “What does the Bible tell us?” Luke 7:47 says, “But he who has been forgiven little, loves little.” Recognize the immense depth of God's love for you, and purpose to love Him in return and give Him a sacrifice of praise.

It is not easy to forgive, love, pray, and give the Lord a sacrifice of praise. Yet, when you make the choice to forgive much and love much, the power of the cross comes ALIVE. Something deep within you begins to stir. An ember wants to burn bright for your husband, family, and even more so for Christ. As you begin to pursue peace - HIS peace - you realize that your circumstance becomes less important. As you draw upon HIS Word, it feeds you and nourishes your soul. As you begin to pray and praise, the spirit of heaviness lifts. Depression, bitterness, anger, fear, and anxiety begin to fall away. Have you experienced this kind of freedom? I know for myself, I have had many seasons of enduring heartache, betrayal, and shattered dreams. How did I survive? I made the choice to forgive, love, persevere, pray, and praise HIM. As I look back the journey in which I have traveled, I have many scars from the spiritual warfare and front line battle for my husband, my kids, and my family.

Pursue Peace, Pray, Persevere, and Live Out Your Purpose! . . .

The battle may not cease; however, now my mindset is different. My threshold to endure is greater. Why? Because of Him Who lives in and through me. Not because of me, my circumstances, or even because I overcame my greatest failures. My true purpose and true calling is simply to

“Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.” Luke 10:27

Will you join me on the battlefield, arise, and sing a new song? Will you wake up, take up your post, and stand guard? Let's do this together.

“I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.” Habakkuk 2:1 (NASB)

Let's Pray Together . . .

Father, we praise You for our journey, even though during times of great struggle we have needed to endure, persevere, and believe in what we cannot see. Father, I recognize that You are molding and shaping me as a warrior - one who desires to chase after You with ALL my heart, soul, and mind. Father, this is my battle cry. Awaken my soul, O Lord. Open my eyes to Your Kingdom. Open my ears ONLY to hear Your voice. Allow my thoughts to be captivated by Your purpose and calling - to LOVE, HONOR, and SERVE You with my whole heart. No matter the season, circumstance, or adversity, You are raising up a Warrior! In Jesus' precious Name! AMEN.

Scriptures for Further Study . . .

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment" ~~ Mark 12:30.

"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." ~~ 1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV)

"As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us.  Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus" ~~Hebrews 12:1-2a (GNT).

~ Elizabeth Bowman