Session 6

Life = Purpose (Part 1)

From The Gospel: Five Words You Need to Know

READ:                             
• John 10:10                             
• Romans 8:28                             
• Psalm 37:23–24

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purposes.” —Romans 8:28

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” —Psalm 37:23

Everything has been created with a specific purpose in mind. In its simplest terms, purpose means the reason that something exists. For example, a chair exists so someone can sit in it. Likewise, we exist for a purpose that’s just as specific. In John 10:10, Jesus doesn’t say that He just came to give us life; He says that He came to give us abundant life—one full of purpose. A carpenter creates a chair out of many pieces. Some of those pieces are pretty, like the intricately carved legs or the soft, cushy seat. Others are not so pretty, like the heavy-duty bolts that hold everything together. Regardless of its appearance, each piece is significant and helps the chair fulfill its purpose.

God is much like that carpenter because He takes every piece of our lives and fits them together perfectly to give us purpose. In Romans 8:28, God makes us the promise that He will work everything together for our good. He uses the good stuff (our victories, our good news, our celebrations) and the stuff that we don’t like so much (our struggles, our mistakes, our challenges). Every detail of our life matters to God! And He uses every one of those details to give us a life filled with rich purpose; He gives us a great reason to exist.

RESPOND:
• What are some ways that God can remind us that He created us for a purpose?
• In what details of your life is it difficult for you to see anything good?
• What prevents you from trusting Jesus with those areas of your life? How do you need help to see that you can trust Him? Ask Him to show you.