Rick Warren's 40 days of purpose gives new perspective on why I am here.
Of course I have not finished this book yet, but the sense I have of the material is that it is essential training for a Christ follower.
The things in this training are set in motion from some basic concepts and what I am gathering from the concepts is that this entire experience on earth has a purpose. One of the purposes of this life is to build character.
Everybody knows that I am already "a character" but what is God doing with me. What does God want to see done?
God wants to see me become more like Christ.
Jesus suffered humiliation and betrayal. Jesus was tempted. Jesus experienced joy. Jesus helped others and was a selfless person.
How do I get from where I am to that ? It seems like an impossibly tall order, doesn't it?
The first steps come from a renewal of my mind. Getting my mind right. Attaining the mind of Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Getting the information in my mind first and then acting on it. It is a process and takes practice and becomes a part of my daily pattern. The days are short enough and interactions with others finite enough to start to make headway really quick.
Romans 12 talks about surrender to God as a Christ like behavior. Losing self is the pathway to becoming more Christ like. Simply considering others more and considering self less starts to shift perspective and makes living life easier.
“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else” ~ Thessalonians 3:12
When you get your mind refocused on doing good for other people you will find that the opportunities present themselves on a daily basis. Developing friendships with a body of believers will give you practically unlimited opportunity to be of service and do good things for others.
Thinking of others and making a list of how you can be a blessing to them takes your mind off of your own personal circumstances. Self becomes less of a focal point.
In this transformation of mental state I can see self fading away. At the same time my personality is still very present. Who God created me to be won;t change. I simply get trained on how to use my energy, abilities and talents.
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