WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR?

Have you ever asked yourself this question? If you’re human like me, you’ve definitely wondered this before. It’s a real question that can keep you up at night, make you zone out in the middle of a lecture, or cause you to emotionally eat your whole pantry. Warren tackles this question using scripture and the concepts of creation, salvation, and growth to help us add purpose to our lives. Topics explored include When God Seems Distant for the long days when God feels silent or seems like He isn’t listening, Transformed by Trouble for when we are humbled through confession and face our sin, mistakes, and shortcomings, and The Envy Trap for when we get trapped in a cycle of envy that stunts our own growth. Designed as a devotional book, each day consists of core verses, short points that are elaborated upon, and a question to consider in prayer.

HOW CAN THIS BOOK HELP ME?

Warren takes the time to not only deepen the meaning of the Word contextually, he also draws out points of action or reflection that we can do in our daily lives. We know that all scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), but how can we translate what we read into our daily lives? I often struggle with this – what do I do with what I just read? I understand this as a concept, but what does it mean for me, a college student living in the 21st century?

On Day 22 in the book, we read that we were Created to Become Like Christ (Romans 8:29). You’ve perhaps heard about this concept before, or even known it for ages. Do you know how you can become like Christ, though? In this chapter, Warren discusses a few ways we can grow by allowing God’s Spirit to work through us:

We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s work.

“God waits for you to act first. Don’t wait to feel powerful or or confident. Move ahead in your weakness, doing the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and it is how your character develops… While effort has nothing to do with your salvation, it has much to do with your spiritual growth. At least eight times in the New Testament we are told to ‘make every effort’ in our growth toward becoming like Jesus. You don’t just sit around and wait for it to happen.”

Hey, isn’t that cool? We can cooperate with the Holy Spirit despite our fears and feelings. Not to sound like a Nike ad, but we should JUST DO IT! Don’t wait! Make an effort so that we can grow to become more like Jesus. That is how we can develop our character to become more like Christ.

Becoming like Christ is a long, slow process of growth.

“God is far more interested in what you are than in what you do. We are human beings, not human doings. God is much more concerned about your character than your career, because you will take your character into eternity, but not your career.”

Let that sit for a second. God is far more interested in what you are than in what you do. He cares about eternity, not the things we fill our hearts with. Human beings tend to want instant gratification, just Google the Marshmallow Test. However, God is making us become like Christ. Molding and becoming takes time.  We may be paralyzed with the fear of failure, our weaknesses, inadequate knowledge, or our own flawed character, but there’s no need to be afraid. Be patient, trust the process.

IS THIS BOOK REALLY FOR ME?

YES! It really is for you. I may be biased, because I was helped tremendously by it. You might think that its content is fundamental, too simple, or something you’ve already heard about before. However, the reality is the Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12), and it speaks to us in ways we cannot predict. And let’s be real, we all need a dose of fundamentals to remind us of our purpose here on earth from time to time.

This book could also be for your friend who’s on the fence about believing Jesus’ story, and y’all can read it together! This book could be for someone who believed at one point, but is having a hard time having faith these days, and y’all can read it together. If you’re suggesting this book for a new Christian, it might be a good idea to have someone experienced to go through it with them! Ultimately, we want to find our purpose. It’s for Him, to live with those created by Him for His purpose, to become like Him, and to be shaped to serve our mission for Him.

I’M BUSY. I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS BOOK.

Um, yes you do! This book is written in a devotional format, with the intention of you reading through this book with another companion (because we all know accountability is the only way we can get things done) over the course of 40 days, or 20 weeks, which is what me and my partner gleefully chose. Each day takes about 15 minutes tops to read. There’s even a section to sign your names in a fancy little covenant to finish reading this book together at the front of the book! Pretty intentional, inspiring, and innovative, right? Also, God has a lot of grace, so if you read it slowly, He will still speak to you through those moments. I’ve been there! No shame in that.

Take a chance! I hope that in reading this book, you can turn to the Father daily, face daunting questions about purpose, and deepen your relationship with Jesus. Wouldn’t it be sweet if we had some more purpose in our lives?

Verses mentioned:

Romans 8:29 (NLT): For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Hebrews 4:12 (NASB): For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT): All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.