What? It's not?

I woke up Sunday morning thinking "what is my purpose?"  Not in a depressed kind of way (ok, maybe a little), but mostly I just want to know what on earth I am here for.....really.  It's kind of embarassing to admit that I think that way from time to time.  My faith should be stronger than that, and usually I would tell you that it is.  If you were to ask me what your purpose was, I could give you a really encouraging, God-inspired answer about how Jesus gives us life and purpose, and He is the only source for both on earth.  And Heaven as well.  So, why do I sometimes get stuck in the same rut that I can so easily help others out of? 

Hmmm.  I don't know.  Yes, I do.  My first realization came when I went to grab my bible, which I normally keep on my nightstand.  It wasn't there...it was still in the bag that I take with me to church every week...which means it has sat in that bag all week.  I had not opened my bible for one whole week.  So it's no wonder I was feeling lost and hungry for meaning and purpose.  It's funny, if I had gone a whole week without eating any food, would I be so naive as to wonder why I felt hungry?  It's no different spiritually. 

Some people at church spoke about purpose yesterday as well....just what I needed to hear when I needed to hear it.  God is so good at that, isn't He?!  I needed to be reminded that my life is not about me. 

Let me say that again, to myself.  Loudly.  Feel free to listen in as I scream in my own ear...  My life is not about me! 

And it's not even all about my husband and our children.  The purpose of my life, of all of our lives, is to glorify God...to fulfill the purposes that God has for our lives, as they fit into His greater plan.  I was reminded that there is purpose in all that we do.  God has placed me where I am in life for a reason, and He wants to use me and my life for His glory.  And the same is true for you, too.   As I am beginning to embrace that truth, I am seeing things a bit differently.  Challenges that seem overwhelming are becoming opportunities.  Challenging people provide the opportunity to show grace.  Challenging situations provide opportunities to lean on faith.  Being treated unfairly provides the opportunity to extend forgiveness.  And being faced with a situation that seems hopeless, is ripe soil for hope to grow. 

What value do grace, faith, forgiveness, and hope have if we have no ocassion to use them?