THE POWER OF PURPOSE

Today’s Message of Encouragement from Discovering A BETTER LIFE MINISTRIES Is dedicated to HELPING Men and Women Find HOPE. (Ron Bainbridge Editor) www.discoveringabetterlife.org.au

(February 21st, 2019)

“God Will Make A Way”

Friend, the Novelist George Moore tells how the government put the peasants to work building roads during the great depression in Ireland. Delighted to have jobs again, they worked energetically, happily singing their Irish songs. Until one day they realized what was happening—the roads they were building didn’t go anywhere—just rambled out into the country and ended in the middle of nowhere. The roads were useless. The government had put them to work just to give them something to do. The songs stopped and the workers grew listless. Moore commented,

“The roads to nowhere are difficult to make. For a man to work and sing, there must be an end in view.”

“Bless the Broken Road”

Someone said, “There is nothing in the world which helps a man surmount his difficulties, survive his disasters, or keep him healthy and happy, as the knowledge of a life task worthy of his devotion.”

That’s true! You can live with enthusiasm, optimism, and effectiveness only if you are confident that you’re doing something that really counts. Take away purpose in life, and you remove all enthusiasm for living.

DON”T LET CRITICISM GET YOU DOWN. Purpose—strong purpose—has the power to lift us above our fear of criticism. Remember the words we used to chant as children? “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.”

That’s not true! Words do hurt us. This revised version comes closer to the truth, “Sticks and stones are hard on bones; Aimed with angry art, Words can sting like anything; and silence breaks the heart.”

I guess all of us are sensitive to criticism, and desirous of approval. But we’ll never get far in any worthwhile work unless we learn to ignore the rantings of those who oppose it. There seems to be an unwritten code of conduct that says, “Thou shalt not be different!” The moment a person begins to excel in anything he becomes the target of the envious, the suspicious, and the malicious. “Censure is the tax one pays for being eminent,” said Dean Swift.

If you stand taller, work harder or live cleaner than those around you, you are sure to be splashed and sniped at. Mediocrity always despises excellence. A clean life is a rebuke to an unclean one—a slap at a soiled society.

However, when a person has found his task—has a firm purpose—he can handle criticism. When he knows what he must say, what he must do, and what he must be, he will be pretty well immune to both unearned praise and unjust blasts. Whether people are tossing bouquets or slinging mud, such a person will steer a straight course—will not be diverted from his purpose.

Friend, the only thing that can keep you on top of life is purpose—wholehearted devotion to a work that you really believe is worthy of your effort. If you have this power of purpose no obstacle can stop you, no criticism can defeat you, and no discouragement can divert you.

“Purpose Driven Life”

Friend, thank you for taking the time to read our message today! We look forward to sharing another life-changing message with you tomorrow. Until then, may God bless you with His grace, His peace, and His power in all He is leading you to do for Him

“Efforts and courage are not enough Without purpose and direction” John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)

“His Strength is Perfect”