So I said that I would post something about the week I was camp and I am doing that right now. In this post. That you are reading. I am keeping that promise as you read this. This is annoying. The only thing that keeps it from totally Rob Bell-ing is the presence of a paragraph format.
From July 31st to August 6th, I was a faculty member for the 9th and 10th grade Zone B at Pine Haven Christian Assembly in Park Rapids, MN. The faculty are the volunteer counselors and deans who run the week of camp along with the paid staff who are there all summer and the manager who runs the camp year long. It was a smaller week than was expected, with only 50 campers. After the first few days, we just decided to quit making jokes/griping about how small the group was and just enjoy the opportunity God was giving us to interact on a more personal one-on-one basis.
One of the sayings that was thrown around quite often was ‘Camp is for the campers.’ It was originally intended to remind us that we are there to serve the campers and reflect Jesus Christ, not just hang out with each other when we have the opportunity. However it was mainly used by the campers to ball out the faculty for being better than them at flicker (it’s like ultimate football with a much more Owl Cityish name).
But that week was for me too. I got to see friends, serve others, get away and do something different. During that week, and the weeks before, God was doing something in me that I can only describe as punching me in the heart. This happened in a few ways, but I will only discuss one of them here. It is, as the title indicates, related to figuring out what your purpose in life is, and how easy it is to miss it.
Now, I believe that we have a purpose for being here. The creation account of Genesis tells us that we were made, which says right there that our existence is not mere coincidence. Throughout the Scriptures we find God using ordinary (e.g. flawed, sinful, fearful, sometimes downright awful) people to accomplish mighty things for His glory and for the betterment of the world. My apologies for not listing a bunch of them; take it as an encouragement to dig into the Word of God.
With this knowledge of how God has used people in the past and how I see Him use those I know, I have been wondering a lot about what my purpose is. And I think that’s okay, to a certain extent. Knowing what God wants us to do with our lives is important. But you can go about it the wrong way as I did, for the pretty much the last two years. So here is how to not do that.
#1. Do not let the more specific purpose of your life blind you to the broader, and much more important purpose of your life: We are all created with different abilities and talents, which lend to the different areas of service of the One who gave them to us. But you and I also have a purpose greater than that, a purpose shared by each and every human being who has ever or will ever walk the face of this earth: To know God personally, and to enjoy being His child. To accept His love for us and in response, share that love with those who have yet to hear. From Genesis through Revelation, old covenant and new, this has been God’s plan for us. A trusted friend reminded of this about two months ago, and rather idiotically I couldn’t see her wisdom.
#2. Your specific purpose is not for you: What God specifically has in mind for you is not for your glory; it is for His pleasure, to draw people closer to Him, and to strengthen the Body of Christ. It is not to give you worth; your worth should be found in Christ and Christ alone. It is not to gain the love of God, which can neither be gained nor lost, but will always be.
#3. Above all things, seek God and His Kingdom: During the week, we would do devotions in the morning. One of the deans spoke each morning and then we (campers and faculty) were given handouts relating to what was spoken about that morning and how it related to the theme of the week.
It was Wednesday morning’s devotion that contained the familiar passage of Jeremiah 29:11- ‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ This is from a letter the prophet Jeremiah has written to the nation of Israel, the people God chose to use as ministers and messengers to the world, who have been finally been exiled for their constant disobedience.
While this is a wonderful verse, we often ignore the full context of the passage, myself included. So I came upon the next two verses, which struck me just so- ‘Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’
God must be sought first and foremost. He is not distant, and He will reach out when you cannot, but He has to have your heart. You see, I hadn’t so much been seeking my purpose as I was whining about not knowing what it was. I was not striving to know God or to please Him in ways I already know are pleasing to Him. I think to call it a half-hearted attempt is being exceedingly merciful. Not only was I missing out on my greater purpose, I was doing a craptacular job looking for my more specific purpose, which I think is kind of sad.
Fortunately, God is ever forgiving and ever merciful, as long as we are humble and willing to admit our error. When we look anywhere than to Him, we are sinning. Even when we look towards good things and have noble purposes, they cannot be a substitute for a passionate pursuit for the One who passionately pursues us. Not knowing what tomorrow holds, I told on to the One who holds tomorrow itself. And I think that’s the best advice I can give on this matter.
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