Striving Towards Purpose: A Journey of Faith

 

Summary

In today's message, we explored the concept of striving, as inspired by Philippians 3:12-14. Striving is not about achieving perfection but about consistently moving in the right direction. It requires self-awareness, discipline, and a commitment to overcoming obstacles. The Apostle Paul exemplifies this by acknowledging that he has not yet reached his ultimate goal but is pressing forward with determination. This journey of striving is not just about personal ambition but aligning our goals with God's purpose for our lives.

Striving begins with self-awareness. Like a navigation system that needs to know your current location to guide you to your destination, we must understand where we are in our spiritual journey. This awareness helps us recognize the gap between our current reality and our God-given destiny. It is crucial to avoid shortcuts, as they often lead to shallow achievements. Instead, we should embrace the process, allowing it to develop the skills and character necessary to sustain us at our destination.

Discipline is a key component of striving. It involves doing what we are supposed to do, when and how we are supposed to do it. This requires setting aside dedicated time for our goals and protecting that time from distractions. Striving also means aligning our desires with God's will. When our goals align with His, He empowers us to achieve them. This partnership with God transforms our striving into a journey of faith and works.

Finally, striving involves focusing on the one thing that God has uniquely called us to do. By identifying and committing to this purpose, we can make a significant impact on the world. It is essential to resist the opinions of others that may discourage us from pursuing our God-given calling. Instead, we should trust in God's plan and do our thing with confidence, leaving the results to Him.

Key Takeaways:

- Self-Awareness in Striving: Striving begins with understanding where you are in your spiritual journey. Like a navigation system, you must know your current location to reach your destination. This awareness helps you recognize the gap between your reality and your destiny, enabling you to move forward with purpose. [05:09]

- Avoiding Shortcuts: Taking shortcuts in life often leads to shallow achievements. Embrace the process, as it develops the skills and character necessary to sustain you at your destination. The journey may be challenging, but it prepares you for lasting success. [11:05]

- Discipline and Timing: Discipline involves doing what you're supposed to do, when and how you're supposed to do it. Protect your time from distractions and dedicate it to your goals. This commitment is essential for achieving your God-given purpose. [21:15]

- Aligning with God's Will: When your goals align with God's will, He empowers you to achieve them. This partnership transforms your striving into a journey of faith and works, where God provides both the desire and the power to fulfill His purpose. [16:52]

- Focusing on Your Unique Calling: Identify the one thing God has uniquely called you to do and commit to it. Resist the opinions of others that may discourage you and trust in God's plan. By doing your thing with confidence, you can make a significant impact on the world. [26:14]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [05:09] - The Importance of Self-Awareness
- [11:05] - Avoiding Shortcuts in Life
- [16:52] - Aligning with God's Will
- [21:15] - Discipline and Timing
- [23:28] - Overcoming Distractions
- [26:14] - Focusing on Your Unique Calling
- [28:42] - Personal Testimony of Striving
- [32:58] - The Gift of Belonging to Christ
- [35:01] - Invitation to Belong
- [37:52] - Closing Prayer and Next Steps

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Striving in Faith

Bible Reading:
- Philippians 3:12-14

Observation Questions:
1. What does Paul mean when he says he has not yet reached his ultimate goal in Philippians 3:12? How does this reflect the concept of striving? [05:09]
2. How does the sermon describe the role of self-awareness in striving towards our spiritual goals? [05:09]
3. What are some examples given in the sermon of the dangers of taking shortcuts in life? [11:05]
4. According to the sermon, how does discipline play a role in striving for our God-given purpose? [21:15]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon interpret the idea of aligning our goals with God's will, and what impact does this have on our ability to strive effectively? [16:52]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that striving involves both faith and works? How are these two concepts connected? [16:52]
3. How does the sermon explain the importance of focusing on the one thing God has uniquely called us to do? What are the potential consequences of not doing so? [26:14]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between striving and overcoming distractions? How can this be applied to our daily lives? [23:28]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current spiritual journey. How self-aware are you of your current position, and what steps can you take to better understand where you are? [05:09]
2. Identify an area in your life where you might be tempted to take shortcuts. What are some practical steps you can take to embrace the process instead? [11:05]
3. Consider your daily routine. How can you incorporate more discipline to protect your time and focus on your God-given goals? [21:15]
4. Think about your personal goals. Are they aligned with God's will? What changes might you need to make to ensure they are? [16:52]
5. What is the one thing you believe God has uniquely called you to do? How can you commit to focusing on this purpose in the coming weeks? [26:14]
6. Identify a distraction that often pulls you away from your spiritual goals. What strategies can you implement to overcome this distraction? [23:28]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt empowered by God to achieve a goal. How can you draw on that experience to encourage you in your current striving efforts? [16:52]

Devotional

Day 1: Self-Awareness as a Spiritual Compass
Understanding where you are in your spiritual journey is crucial for growth. Like a navigation system, self-awareness helps you identify your current location and the gap between your reality and your God-given destiny. This awareness is the first step in moving forward with purpose. It allows you to recognize areas that need improvement and align your actions with your spiritual goals. Embracing this process, rather than seeking shortcuts, ensures that you develop the skills and character necessary to sustain you at your destination. [05:09]

"For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor." (Galatians 6:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your spiritual life where you feel stuck? How can you seek God's guidance to gain clarity and move forward with purpose?


Day 2: The Value of Embracing the Process
Taking shortcuts in life often leads to shallow achievements. True success comes from embracing the process, which develops the skills and character necessary to sustain you at your destination. The journey may be challenging, but it prepares you for lasting success. By avoiding shortcuts, you allow God to work in you, refining your character and equipping you for the future He has planned. This commitment to the process is a testament to your faith and trust in God's timing. [11:05]

"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope." (Romans 5:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent challenge you faced. How did you respond, and what did you learn about yourself and God's faithfulness through that experience?


Day 3: Discipline as a Pathway to Purpose
Discipline involves doing what you're supposed to do, when and how you're supposed to do it. Protecting your time from distractions and dedicating it to your goals is essential for achieving your God-given purpose. This commitment requires setting aside dedicated time for your spiritual growth and aligning your desires with God's will. When your goals align with His, He empowers you to achieve them, transforming your striving into a journey of faith and works. [21:15]

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable." (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to protect your time and focus on your spiritual goals?


Day 4: Aligning Your Desires with God's Will
When your goals align with God's will, He empowers you to achieve them. This partnership transforms your striving into a journey of faith and works, where God provides both the desire and the power to fulfill His purpose. By seeking His guidance and aligning your desires with His, you open yourself to His blessings and direction. This alignment requires a willingness to surrender your own plans and trust in His perfect will for your life. [16:52]

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to align your desires with God's will? How can you begin to surrender this area to Him today?


Day 5: Focusing on Your Unique Calling
Identify the one thing God has uniquely called you to do and commit to it. Resist the opinions of others that may discourage you and trust in God's plan. By doing your thing with confidence, you can make a significant impact on the world. This focus requires courage and faith, as it may go against societal expectations or the opinions of others. Trusting in God's plan and pursuing your unique calling allows you to fulfill the purpose He has for your life. [26:14]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one unique calling or passion that God has placed on your heart? How can you take a step of faith today to pursue it, despite any doubts or discouragements?

Quotes

"I am not saying that I have already reached that place in my life but I have not yet completely become the person that God wants me to be whoo let me read that again I have not yet completely become the person that God wants me to be how many of you know that's true in your life if that ain't true you lying I'm not there yet but watch this but I'm trying very hard to reach that place this whole series can be summed up in those five words I am trying very hard I am trying very hard tell somebody next to you might be mad at you tell them I am trying very hard I am come on full watchers just look over somebody you ain't spoke to you don't even want to speak to I am trying let them read your lips I am trying very hard I'm trying to get there to reach that place that was Christ's purpose when he first chose me to belong to him" [00:00:47] (62 seconds)


"Your direction is more important than your speed. Because when you go fast, you lose the process that can develop the skills and the character necessary that you need to handle where you're trying to go. Are you following me? Don't take shortcuts. Watch this video right here that kind of echoes my point about taking shortcuts. Check this out." [00:08:21] (24 seconds)


"were y 'all pulling for the girl who took the hard road see see when you when you take when you take the pathway and you you avoid the hard stuff sometimes you lose don't always take the easy way because there are some things that hard produces in you that's why when you reach your goal see people who take shortcuts don't they usually don't last long but people who go the long way and go the hard way, have everything they need to not only stay at the level they got to, but to grow from that level." [00:09:54] (37 seconds)


"Now, one thing you have to do is either be consistent and keep being patient with your habits, or sometimes you plateau and what got you there won't get you there. What got you here won't get you there. Sometimes you run into a situation where you need a new skill set and new habits and new accountability and new training to get where you're trying to go. Because what you know got you where you are. But where you're trying to go, you have to know something else. So always be a student. Always be willing to learn because God's trying to take you further than you even imagine." [00:11:45] (34 seconds)


"So part, if you're going to strive, strive to be who God wants you to be and what God wants you to be in your life because here's the thing you can know about Jesus. Jesus is very well prepared to play two roles in your life. He can be Savior and He can be Lord. He can be Redeemer and Ruler, but He's not always both in our lives. Now, one, in order for him to be Savior in your life, that's a momentary decision. You can decide in a moment to say, God, I want you to be my Savior. Jesus, I accept you as my Savior. I thank you for what you did. This is the price you paid for my salvation, and I accept that gift into my life. Thank you for being my Savior. That's a momentary, one-time decision." [00:13:07] (40 seconds)


"But in order for him to be Lord of your life, that's a decision you're going to have to make day after day after day throughout the day and the night. It means surrendering your will to his, even when it's uncomfortable, doing it his way, following his plan, following his script. And watch this, watch this. When you align your goals to him, he will give you the power to do them. That's the beauty of it. When your goals align with him, you have his help." [00:13:47] (28 seconds)


"Striving is about trying very hard, y 'all. And when I say trying very hard, that don't mean you're not dependent on God, too. See, some of you think you're going to reach your goal because God's going to do it. God's doing it. God's going to work it out. Well, that's faith. When you read through the Bible, faith and works work together. They're married. In fact, faith needs two things in order to activate, it needs words and it needs works. Because faith without works, so whenever, watch this, whenever you have something that's faith but you don't have no action, that's dead faith." [00:16:52] (35 seconds)


"Now, let's talk about this definition. First of all, he says, do what you're supposed to do, and then you do it when you're supposed to do it, you do it how you're supposed to do it, and you do that every single time. Now, I'm going to take license to say every single time is not realistic because we're not perfect, but it should be your pattern. Your pathology should be, this is how I do things. So it starts, you're doing what you're supposed to do. What's your what? What's your what? What are you supposed to do to move you in the direction of becoming the person God wants you to be financially, relationally, professionally, spiritually, every Lee of your life? What's your what?" [00:19:32] (36 seconds)


"Because if you don't know what the what is, you're stuck. So you have to say, well, God, what am I supposed to do? Because God, watch this, watch this. He uses his word, mostly, he uses his word to do it. He'll use teaching like this. Sometimes, I don't have to know anything about your life. God can use a preacher or a pastor to say something to, from this podium or from any podium, and it speak directly to your life. That's God. He uses word. Because watch this, his word is a lamp to my feet, that's my next step, but it's also a light to my path, that's the future." [00:20:08] (33 seconds)


"What's the thing that you do? What's your thing? Because successful people have learned how to zero down their life to one thing. Many of you can't reach your goals because you're doing too many things. Now, it doesn't mean you don't do other things. In your life, yeah, you take baths. You go get gas in the car. You go to the grocery store. You eat. You brush your teeth. You dump trash. You make up the bed. You do all that stuff that everybody else does. You have your responsibilities. But there's one thing that's in your DNA that has to do with your legacy." [00:25:21] (32 seconds)


"It has to do with why God put you on this earth. That one thing. And the sooner you find out that one thing, you protect that thing in your life. Because that's the thing. Watch this. That's the thing that people notice that you do it when you do it. And they take note of it. It's the thing that people will pay you in compliments and maybe in cash to do. It's your value add to society. It's one thing. It's one thing." [00:25:52] (26 seconds)


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Transcript
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