Are you sure we all have a purpose in life, and how do we know what it is!?!

edited October 2006 in Faith Issues
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  • hi,
    wow i havent posted in awhile. Anyway, i'm reading this really good book right now which helps to answer that question. you've probably heard of this book before, its called "A Purpose Driven Life." You should check it out...hope that helps a little. :)
    God Bless.
  • hey marmar,
    I think that if God wills something to happen, its going to happen no matter what we want because he of course knows best. I don't think that anyone knows what God holds for their future, but along the way even if we have plans for other things, God will change our minds or make it so we can't go along with what we originally have planned. I know this sounds confusing sorry, but here's an example: Let's say you had planned to become a lawyer since you were little. You couldn't imagine your future without you being a lawyer.. but God felt it best that you become a doctor... He would make something happen that would change your mind like for instance you could have went to law school and found that you couldn't bear it at all but you remember how much you enjoyed your biology course in college... something along those lines... and God works in such subtle ways that sometimes the miracles that He does all the time like change our life plans can seem so natural lol.. and about your third question how do we please God while fulfilling our own desires as well? that's easy.. Deny yourself and follow him. Deny yourself and let his will become your desire.... Actually there's a prayer for this sort of thing, its found in most Agpeyas. Its called the prayer for God's guidance & accompaniment. I feel that it's one of the most beautiful prayers:

    Grant me Your grace O Lord Jesus, the Long suffering, and be wih me that I may dweill in You unto the end. Grant me that I may ask and wish always for what is pleasing to You. Let Your will be my will. Let my will follow always Your will and be in accord with it in a perfect way. Let both of us have one will, for I don't want to desire anything except what You want and what You wish.

    Grant me not to lust for the things of this world, that I may dwell in You in all things and hold above all things the desire to be as You would have me be and do as You would have me do. you are the peace of my heart and the shelter of my life. You are the real peace and the only comfort and apart from You, everything is hard and confusing. Therefore, in this peace which is in You, the Great Eternal Good, I am able to rest. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Our Father who art in heaven....

    I hope this helps, and also there's the prayer before starting an endeavor:

    My God, You know that I do not know waht is good for me. Behold, I am thinking of (...). How can I know what is good and useful for me if You do not guide me through Your grace?! Therefore, I ask You, my Lord, to guide me concerning Your will abou this matter. Do not leave me to my own cousel, following only my own desires, lest I get in trouble and fall. Keep Your servant from falling, and be my support and help. Manage the matter according to your will as it pleases Your goodness. If it is good in Your eyes, let it be according to Your will, and give me Your grace to accomplish it. If it would hurt please take from me this aim, for You are All-Knowing. Nothing is hidden from You.
    I am Your servant, O Lord. Deal with me according to what You deem fit, for there is no complete success or perfect peace without submitting myself to the guidance of Your will. Teach me to say in everything, "My Father let it be no t according to my will, but let Your will be done." For Yours is the kingdom, and the pwer, and the glory forever. Our Father Who art in heaven...

    I hope this all helps.. please remember me in your prayers

    God bless You,

    Your sister Mariam
  • Here is what I think:

    1) We know God's will or plan for us through MAJOR prayer. If we have God in our life and involve Him through our plans He will make His plans visible for us. For example before I went to pharmacy school I prayed about getting in somewhere if it was meant for me (although I didnt want to go to pharm. school) and 2 weeks later I got into school in philly (I ended up staying at the same school I was in undergrad but any way). so if I hadnt prayed about it I prolly still be in school!!!!!!!

    2) If it doesnt go with our plans then know that there was a reason for our plan not working out! "All things work together for good for those who love God" (Cant remember where in the bible it is). This took me a while to get but finally I got it!

    3) When you execept that God's plan is best you would have fulfilled your needs and desires!

    " For I know the plans that I have for you...to give you a future and hope." Jer 29:11

    Hope this helps!
  • check out this sermon by his grace bishop angelos on the will of god
    download it an listen- it will answer ur question (one hint- the sermon 'letting go of the past' is really knowing gods will, they accidently named them the other way round)
    if ur confussed jus pm me.

    http://www.coptichymns.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sermons&file=index&q=f&f=/English/__HG_Bishop_Angaelos
  • ok...if your (or whoever just to respond to your example) thinking that it is not God's will to marry that person then chances are its not ment to be even if you love that person...I have had some experiences (not love and marriage but similar) where when I had the feeling this isnt right not God's will and I fought it and was like ah it will be ok and then I got hurt or what I was feeling was correct...so I came up with the conclusion that if you have a a strong feeling or even just a feeling that this is not God's will for you then chances are God is trying to tell you in his way! Also by praying God reveals things to you. For example (lets just keep going with your example) if you pray to God about this person and ask him if he is the right one for you because you love him the next day that person may do something that you wouldnt aprove of and there you go you got your answer (this is ofcourse if you dont blow it off as oh ok its ok kind of thing). Ofcourse when it comes to marriage one should always go to their FOC and discuss this with him so he can guide you in the decision! Hope I made sense...if I didnt PLEASE let me know.

    P.S. The prayers that MarMarNeMaTaLLa put up are great!
  • one of the fathers were telling me that in order to identify the will of god, u first have to be able to know his voice. by this i mean: if this situation is taking u away from god, then its not his will, if this relationship is takin u away from god, it is not his will, if this new job u have taken up, has taken u away from god, its not his will
    do use get wat i mean
    wel hope i helped
  • couldn't have said it better myself coptatcu! if there's anything you want but God does not will, pray and ask for his guidance in the matter. I assure you that if he doesn't will it to happen, you'll probably lose interest in the guy even though it seems impossible now. Maybe there's someone else whom God knows you'd be happier with.... God has his reasons. He doesn't will what we want sometimes because he loves us and is looking out for us, not because he's some big bully trying to tease us lol. He only does what's best for us so even though it hard, just keep that comforting thought in mind and happily accept any turns or twists he has in store for us.

    God bless you all.

    Mariam
  • Greetings

    TALENTS

    Now thats the answer, and if u cant find ur talent,
    for sure, u have the talent of using ur brain, praying, thanking, thinking, walking, talking, typing, running, and so much stuff.
    I had a sunday skool lesson on this, and its the answer when u got NO purpose!
  • Hey

    im from a church in montreal and we came up with an idea that was given to us from people that went to africa and to new jersey. We made the whole church read the driven purpose of life book by rick waren. It is a protestant book but it defines the 5 purposes that a christian must fofill before his death. it is very important that everyone takes a look at it. it will facilitate the way live
  • wow! thank you all. your posts helped me alot. lol i guess i was struggling with this recently and ur posts came at a good time.
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