On Purpose

I started a new rule for myself awhile back about social media.. basically before I get on FaceBook or Twitter, I need to learn something about the world FIRST. Whether that be National News in Sudan or an update on the economy, or some story about Human Trafficking, I want to continuously be keeping myself out of the comfortable "bubble" that's far too easy to fall into.

It's been a really helpful tool in teaching myself about current events, but also reminding me that the freedom I have here in America is RARE; that I have no right to take advantage of all my rights. Because the majority of people around the world don't have the same luxury... many of them have their rights TAKEN from them.

One of the biggest challenges of living in a new state for me isn't not knowing anyone or having many answers for my future.. those are things I thrive off and find adventure through... But it's the temptation for me to waiver from all the progress and truth God taught me this last year... About who I am, who He is, what really matters, and what my purpose is. Because I have learned that if I'm not actively telling myself the TRUTH, lies will gladly scream all the louder without permission.

A better way of phrasing this struggle is by saying it's the Enemy's way of keeping us distracted from what God truly has for us. If he can keep us focused on ourselves and our comfort and our first-world problems just enough to divert you from your God-given purpose, he knows he's winning. I have gotten to the point here where I'm absolutely done with letting that happen.

When a lie throws pebbles on the window to my heart or starts to kick down it's doors, I literally have to fight back at it with the truth so loud sometimes I yell at the top of my lungs. Because I refuse to any longer let trivial and first-world things that once held me captive take any more of my time. There are people who need our help, and we can't help them if we're busy trying to perfect our comfort all day long.

As I research rescue story after rescue story, statistics on the millions still enslaved, stories of places without hope, or news about suffering,...how quickly my hearts' perspective changes to what really matters. It's not if my hair looks great today or if my outfit is up to par or if I ran today or if my paycheck is big enough or if I'm dating someone amazing or if I got a certain number of "likes" on my instagram picture...

It's that there are young, real girls trapped in a brothel from dawn to dusk who need someone to break down the door and take them out. That they need someone to hold them close and let them cry on their shoulder and tell them they are infinitely loved, and that now they are FREE. It's that there are millions of beautiful orphans sleeping under trash all around the world right now who wonder if they will ever be wanted and called "daughter" or "son". That they need someone to pull them out and kiss their cheeks and whisper that they now have a home and a hope. It's that there are so many hurting and terrified people all around us that think they have no value because someone told them that or showed them that. That they need us to TELL them how much they matter and have endless purpose because of Jesus' purpose of coming to earth-- to know God's heart for us and be known by Him.

Because the TRUTH is that at the end of the day, what you look like, how much money you have, how big your house is, how many friends you have, and your reputation of gold doesn't matter.... what matters is what you did with what God gave you. And I don't just mean resources like money, I mean the hope He gave you, the freedom He gave you, the love He gave you, the purpose He gave you... 

Are we taking that and overflowing it back out to the hurting around us, or are we letting our comfort and chains hold us back? I don't know about you, but I'm done with casually letting another day pass me by of living as "acceptable". I refuse to be tied down by a cultural standard of success, beauty, or happiness, and I refuse to let abuse and pain tell us what we're worth and what we're capable of. When I read The Bible, God constantly shows the message that nothing is impossible... And why would I settle for dreaming small dreams revolving around myself if I actually believed that?

Believing and standing on the truth is a battle, because we are programmed from our sin to believe the opposite. But once you begin to fight it back instead of letting it defeat you, you will be unstoppable. Because victory is already ours who belong to Jesus. Because HE fought and fights for you and I, we can now fight for those who can't fight for themselves.

Purpose is found the most in showing others that they have one. 

-Han