Romans 8:28 is one of the most memorable Bible verses in the minds of many Jesus-followers.  It is a verse of great hope and inspiration in difficult times.  Whether good, bad, or worse, God causes all of our circumstances to work together for good.  Paul indicates God’s works in the lives of those who love Him, and further adds that God has called them out for a purpose.

If you are a Jesus-follower, how often do you stop to realize God has a purposeful plan for your life?  I write often about living intentional lives, and we can do that because God is intentional with us.  He did not redeem us just to count us as a statistic, but He has a purpose for us.

We clearly see that purpose in the verse that follows:

For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. – Romans 8:29

God’s purpose for your life is to take you as He finds you and day by day remake you in Jesus’ likeness.  Not that He is trying to make you look like Jesus in physical form, but He is transforming you to think, feel, and act like Jesus.  He is changing your desires to match His. The longer we follow Jesus the more our lives should reflect His presence.  That is God’s purpose for you.  You are His great makeover project.

Tools That Accomplish God’s Purpose

God has several makeover tools in His cache that He uses to carry out that purpose.  As we expose ourselves to these tools, He uses them to carry out growth and transformation in our lives.

The Bible

The topic I write most about is personal Bible study.  I write about it so much because there is neither substitute nor shortcut for reading the Bible systematically and regularly to mine its truths for our daily living.  God has given us the Bible to guide and grow us into the men and women He to be.

Let me encourage you to look back through the blog archives and read some of the posts about personal Bible study.  Develop a plan for a consistent reading and meditation on God’s truth in His Word.  Look for ways the Bible addresses the daily events and situations in your life.  You might find yourself surprised by the Bible’s relevance to your life.

Prayer

Prayer is almost as important as Bible study, and the two are most effective when coupled as a daily  discipline.  Through prayer, we communicate with God and seek His presence in our lives.  Prayer is not  a monologue in which we only speak to God. Effective prayer also includes time for silence when we can listen for what God may say to us in response.

The archive also features several articles that offer help for personal prayer times.  I challenge you to set aside at least 30 minutes each day to connect with God by reading the Bible and engaging Him in prayer.  Personally, I believe it best to start the day with this connection, but if this is not possible, choose your ideal time.

Other Believers

God does not intend us to live our life of faith in isolation.  Hebrews 10:24-25 reminds us that the closer we get to the return of Jesus the more we need to connect with other believers. He wants us to gather regularly with other Jesus-followers so that we can challenge, encourage, and hold each other accountable.

Regular church attendance and a network of like-minded Christian friends help us grow more like Jesus.  Please do not fall for the devil’s lie that you can worship God just as good at home or out in the woods by yourself.  We do need time alone with God studying His Word and praying, but we also need significant time with other believers.  Our mutual “fire” of commitment helps each of us burn hotter and longer for Him.  Isolate us and we are like a log removed from a fire.  Our fervor will soon cool and eventually die.

Our Circumstances

God uses the events of our lives to shape us.  Good times make us grateful for God’s goodness.  Difficult times cause us to lean on Him in faith and seek His wisdom and strength.  Good times feed our faith with confidence.  Difficult times, like strenuous physical exercise, stretch us and build our dependence on God.  (James 1:2-8)

As you live life’s ups and downs, watch carefully how God works in and around you.  Ask Him to teach you valuable lessons about yourself, Him, and His Word.  Nothing happens to us by accident, rather God is at work around us to use the events of our lives to shape and refine us.

Do you regularly avail yourself to these tools God wants to use in your life?  Are you growing more like Jesus daily because you allow God to use these tools to teach you and transform you?  God has a purpose for you, He is remaking you into Jesus’ image. Live that purpose.

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What I have written today applies to those of us who have repented of our sin and surrendered to Jesus as our Savior and Lord.  If you want to know how you, too, can become a Jesus follower, follow this link to read about the Redemption Story of Jesus.