Have you ever had sleepless nights? Most people have and it’s due to a multitude a things.
When these happen to me, there is ONE question I ask, that the Lord has taught me to ask: What is the purpose?
For example is it something He wants me to address? Is it a person to pray for? Is it a word I’m to receive? or is it just the enemy trying to deplete sleep? which is one of most precious things to me and should be for us all.
Now once I know what the purpose is I can be led to a solution. Amen?
For the scriptures say
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV)
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”:
We can apply this ‘what is the purpose?’ question in ALL areas of our life, as we will go through many seasons, and remember seasons in their nature only last until the next one starts, they are but a moment in time.
If we know what the purpose is, and we know that season we are in, then why not find out why we are there? And get all we can out of it regardless of what it may look like?
There are many seasons of things being great, hard, brutal, radical, When we are in hard seasons be it medical sickness, lack of provision, or in our meaningful relationships both at work and personally there is friction (oh yes rubbing together and causing a reaction) in this space COULD IT BE that the friction is a waiting opportunity for a promotion?
We know in our vocation or job, we have tests we take which show where our strengths are and where we need to retrain. This is why sometimes we enter the same season at different stages of our life! (In other words again we go around the mountain)
Why we keep going around the mountain is to do with the attitude we have towards the current season we’re in. I am not necessarily pointing out that our attitude is off or being condemning, it’s rather that most of us have not been taught to embrace each and every season, for there is a reward within each of them.
Every season has a purpose and when we discover it then we can embrace it, learn from it and be transformed through it, and from it. Hallelujah.
Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us”.
Romans 12:2 (TPT)
“Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes”.
This mind transformation comes from undertaking purpose.
Recently I had a personal examination by a doctor and something embarrassing happened for me during that exam, yet the doctor was very professional and took it in her stride!
Maybe this has happened to you. I struggled with this moment, because the enemy kept replaying it in my mind, so much so I shared it in confidence with a friend, yet still had no breakthrough.
When out walking with the Lord one morning, He revealed this most unusual statement and thought! What you thought was a bad thing actually was a good thing!
This puzzled me and so I enquired with what? How could something so embarrassing be a good thing? It’s here He started to show me the purpose behind it, the result was my whole mind was transformed.
Now I share this testimony to emphasize the point, as according to the verse we are open with everything we go through and face regardless of whether it is good, bad, embarrassing, or pleasant, IT ALL HAS A PURPOSE!
AND it’s not just this random thing, the Lord actually has appointed a time, plan and purpose. YET what we do with it will determine what the outcome will be, and whether we will have to go through that season again.
Because of FREEWILL which is the one thing the Lord values over everything. That we keep our Freewill.
One more story, a few years ago I was in a very painful time through illness, and while in this time I didn’t know why. But it had to be for a reason and have a purpose.
The results from this season of walking through, addressing things, developing character, the Lord opening up a global writing ministry for a person that doesn’t and couldn’t write. But GOD!
I could testify that my mind had been transformed. As the one of my favourite scriptures says
1 Corinthians 10:13
“We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously”.
I want to leave off with this thought. That we will explore in Challenges:
The way we see things has a lot to do with what we will endure.
To be honest, we are wired with internal longing, for reward and validation, and this drive has been placed in us by the Lord! It’s a GIFT from Him.
Challenge time: Grab your journal, be with the Lord recording His answers.
God what will I endure and then what won’t I endure?
God what will I share and then what won’t/ can’t I share?
God why do I lose my peace?
God what are my non-negotiables? God what are Yours?
God why aren’t they the same? God today I ask that You give me Your eyes to see ALL things, situations, people, the way You do?
Father I pray You would help us to understand this one thing, that everything we face in life is only a season and has a purpose. A purpose for promotion in Your kingdom, along with a timing planned by you. Now we have understanding we can embrace these seasons, be transformed from them, and build character for the future you have designed for us. In Jesus name, amen.
Craig Patten
Itinerate Pastor/Prophet
Encounter Ministries
