This is my year of surrender. A daily refining of my identity to become the best “me” God created. Letting go to receive the precious grace God holds out freely. A journey of laying down self to make space for the new creation God promises.
The process somedays is like a blacksmith forging iron in a fire. The heat pierces so the blacksmith can twist and shape the iron. God takes the rough edges of our hearts and rubs them smooth with His patience and love. When we allow God to do the daily refining, not only does our identity become clearer but our purpose takes shape.
Seeking God’s purpose always leads us to knowing the depth and power His love. I know I make the idea of purpose harder than it needs to be. Ultimately, God desires for us to be holy and whole. If we strive to reach a place where we surrender the mess that God wants to carry for us and become whole, we are living our stories.
[Tweet “Purpose, then, is knowing we each have a God-given story that He wrote for us to live out His glory.”]
It is fitting that this series on reimagining our purpose is coming to a close in Lent. I find myself succumbing to a daily refining during these forty days leading up to Jesus’ death and resurrection. I’m aware and open to letting God clean out the shards of my life along with the sharp edges of the past. Each time I soften my heart to God’s work within me, a piece of my story comes into focus. The story of who I am as God’s child and how He cherishes me when I know His love and weave my heart with His.
Purpose isn’t so elusive after all. God already planned our stories before we were born. I am the one who clutters the space that God had already cleaned out in preparation for my story to unfold. I feel like this year will provide an opportunity to get back to the basics. A chance for me to reclaim my identity and begin to live it out as God already planned.
What does that look like for you? Is it possible that discovering purpose will happen in the process of uncovering the you that has always been there? If so, do you feel confident that in this messy journey we call life, you will discover your purpose too?
I am re-reading a book called The Wellness Revelation by Alisa Keeton. My path to surrender is a body, heart and mind issue. The Wellness Revelation takes all three areas and uses scripture, stories, reflection, health awareness and God to help people on this journey. Alisa states so clearly what transforming our lives look likes. I know surrendering will result in a transformation of my heart, which will lead to my wholeness in Christ.
She says…
We must soften our hearts. We need to remember our stories: where we come from and what God has already done for us. He guided us every step of the way, planting and growing in His purpose, His power, and His strength. God wants to remove the burden we carry when we think that everything hinges on our might and the “win, lose, or tie” is all within our control. It is just not true. God desires to be our strength in all things.
[Tweet “Our purpose is Christ. It is Christ living in us and how we live for Him.”]
I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12-13 NLT
May you feel blessed that God wrote your story and chose you to walk it out with Him.
Blessings,
You may find me joining other writers at these blogs this week.
I highly recommend The Wellness Revelation. The book is transforming but truly challenges each of us to live and healthy and whole for Christ. I am including my affiliate link. If you purchase the book, I receive a small compensation through Amazon.
Thank you all for being faithful readers. If these words speak to you today, please share so others can find encouragement too.
Photo by Philip Swinburn on Unsplash
Mary,
Just when I think that God is finished refining…out comes another one of those sharp-edged tools. But, if I am to become more like Christ and if Christ is to live in me, I need to surrender to His chiseling away until there is less of me and more of Him.
Blessings sweet friend,
Bev xx
Doesn’t the picture provide a great visual of what it might look like in God’s workshop? I know He doesn’t even put tools away in between working on refining me. May we learn to lose ourselves in the process of growing into who God created us to be. Love having you here, Bev!
Visiting you from Tea and Word link up. Allowing that daily refining so that our purposes may reflect Him would a beautiful request to pray for His help with every morning. We get so wrapped up in our own agenda’s that we can easily lose sight of His purpose. Thank you for reminding us of what is truly important. Sweet Blessings to you!
It is easy to lose sight of God when we focus on stuff and our to do lists. I agree that praying for God to refine us as a daily prayer would be beautiful. I imagine we would be surprised at what God would do. Thank you for being here today, Cheryl. It was nice to “meet” you. I hope you were encouraged today.
Mary, I have so enjoyed each of the posts I have read in this series. Purpose is something I’ve thought about and prayed about often. The illustration of the blacksmith and his use of heat spoke to me of how God has worked in my life. he does have a way of using life’s heat to shape me and craft me into who He wan me to be.
And this: “When we allow God to do the daily refining, not only does our identity become clearer but our purpose takes shape.” So true, my friend.
Beautiful post.
I love the idea that God is always refining us. For me, it brings comfort to know that He will continue to work with my mess and doesn’t give up. Isn’t it reassuring to know that when God refines us we are getting closer to our purpose? Since I always want to put a name to my purpose, I know that God is always working to get me closer to it when I let Him work in me. I pray as you reflect on purpose you let God continue to work in you and draw you closer to who He made you to be.
It is encouraging to remember that God is in charge of our purpose, not us. Although we have to cooperate with him it is not something we need to make happen. Sometimes we just need to take a step back and let him work it out. I relate to what you say about sometimes cluttering the space that God has cleared out.
I need to remind myself often that God’s got this and then step out of the way. I know I make purpose so hard and try to fit into a neat box with a bow when all He wants is for us to say “yes” and then let it unfold as He wills. I am glad to know I am not alone in messing it up with clutter sometimes. Thank you for your insight.
I struggle to hand everything over to Go–especially my plans. I know what I want, but often forget that I should strive for what HE wants.
You are speaking a language I am all too familiar with. Letting go is one of the hardest things for me to do. I pray we both learn to follow after what God wants.
Love this. “I’m aware and open to letting God clean out the shards of my life along with the sharp edges of the past.”
May we all let Him clean out the shards.
Thank you Debbie! Isn’t it a beautiful image of how our messy hearts can be refined and cleaned out by God? May we all open our hearts to a daily refining as we work toward our purpose.
I also use Lent as a season of refining. This year I’m learning about suffering. Sharing this on Twitter, Mary.
I was just sharing the idea of Lent being a time of refining with my son and daughter-in-law. It describes Lent so perfectly for me. I pray your process of digging into suffering produces much fruit.
You are on a beautiful journey with God, Mary, and I appreciate you sharing this time now of surrendering. I know I’m getting a lesson in learning to not have to control everything that can also cause unnecessary stress. So I loved this line you shared: God wants to remove the burden we carry when we think that everything hinges on our might and the “win, lose, or tie” is all within our control. It is just not true. God desires to be our strength in all things. Amen to that!
The book The Wellness Revelation continues to transform me in a good way. Since it focuses on the body, mind and spirit it is perfect for me in my year of surrender.
I appreciate knowing that these words are speaking to you. I pray we all continue to learn to let go and find that God is all we need.
Hi Mary! Sometimes I think we get so caught up in our secondary purposes/the “what” that we’re called to (writer, mother, wife, friend, etc.) and we forget our most important purpose–the “who” we’re called to. Thanks for reminding us that Christ living in us and us living in Him is our purpose. Perhaps if we always keep him at the forefront and seek Him and His Kingdom first, all the rest will be added as He sees fit. Blessings to you as you surrender to Him!
I appreciate your insight. I am one of those people who gets caught up in what you call secondary purposes by making them primary. We define purpose by naming it teacher, writer, mom, etc. forgetting that God created us as His child and who we are is exactly that. May we remember to seek God first and the rest will come. Blessings on your weekend!
I also love the line Stacey mentions above. And I always have great pause for thought whenever I encounter those verses from Philippians 4 about the Apostle Paul saying he has learnt the secret of being content in any and every circumstance he might encounter. It’s a secret I haven’t yet found the right key to, though I’m guessing it lies tantalisingly within reach, if I only knew just how to access it. It certainly doesn’t happen through our own strength or determination. Only God can give us the key through our faith in Christ, and develop this ability via Holy Spirit’s presence within, as He moulds and makes us new. Thank you, Mary, for another soul searching word! xo
Thank you for being here and leaving such sweet words behind. I’m not sure if we ever find contentment based on how it is described by most people. However, following God and trusting in Him through all our challenges has to be pretty close even when it doesn’t feel like it.
We are blessed that the Spirit teaches us and is present within us. It is His wisdom and strength that keeps me going. Praying your weekend is blessed.
This book is in my queue. Glad to be on this surrender journey with you.
You will love The Wellness Revelation. I hope you are able to read it soon. I am always so glad to see you here as we walk out surrender this year.
Mary, I love this line, “When we allow God to do the daily refining, not only does our identity become clearer but our purpose takes shape.” Yes! May we surrender to the daily refining!
I am learning how in the process of surrender I am seeing the glimmer of who I am supposed to be. That is purpose. I am praying with you that we surrender to the daily refining.
PS I have tried to leave a comment on your blog the last two weeks and am not seeing where to do this. I love our writing. If you see this, please advise how to leave some love over on your blog.
Discovering purpose…good question. As illness has now placed me into a position where I may well die of pain-induced shock, I can’t really see a purpose writ small or large.
It’s a story that can’t and should not be inspiring to others, and it sure isn’t making me a better person. It’s a beasting, pure and simple, and it doesn’t end.
However…the purpose may be very simple, in that by fighting my way back from rage against God and circumstance every day, and finding a footing of faith, I’m becoming just a bit more of the proper material to be a citizen of Heaven.
Insoite of your situation you do have purpose. Being the best “you” you can be is fulfilling the purpose God gave you. You are doing it! Thank you for being here and sharing even when you don’t feel well.