Life’s Deeper Purpose
Imagine arriving at an elegant restaurant. The setting is impeccable—fine linens, delicate china, and sparkling crystal. The server presents your plate with ceremony, only to reveal a single marshmallow. What should have been a satisfying meal is merely a sweet morsel offering no real nourishment.
Our spiritual lives can follow this pattern when we’re not attentive. Rather than embodying a message of profound hope, we risk offering nothing more substantial than fleeting comfort. Yet God intends His truth to deeply sustain those who hear it.
For God to craft a meaningful message through our lives, we must recognize His hand in every experience. Even difficult circumstances passing through His permissive will ultimately yield good. Often, those who have experienced suffering can most effectively share hope with others (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). When we’re hurting, we naturally seek wisdom from those who understand our pain. Similarly, our words of comfort carry greater weight when shaped by our own encounters with hardship.
In all situations, we should discern what God is developing within us. By seeking His purpose and lessons, we accelerate the process through which our lives communicate the hope found in Christ Jesus.