To Raise A Tower:
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Why am I here?
Jesus was clear about why he came. He knew his purpose and his mission, and lived his life according to it with conviction, direction, and joy that kept him through suffering, opposition, and ultimately crucifixion. If we are truly to count the cost of following him into that same suffering, we have to know why we have come in the first place, whether we have moved from the beginning, and what might be standing in our way if we haven’t. We cannot follow Jesus by default, or by inheritance, nor by accident. If we do not know why we follow him, it’s all too easy to give up. Jesus was clear as to why he is here:
“I came so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”- John 10:10
So, why are you here?
Reflection Questions:
Why am I here? What has attracted me, compelled me, led me to follow Jesus? What experiences, journeys, circumstances led me to seek him? What am I looking for or what am I seeking in my life that Jesus might help me find? Answers, healing, purpose, joy, wholeness, freedom from guilt, freedom from addiction, to go to heaven when I die? Why is/was/might the kingdom of God be good news for me?
When life get’s difficult, what gives me courage, motivation to keep going? When it get’s difficult to believe in and follow Jesus, what helps me continue?
How have I changed/grown/progressed since deciding to follow Jesus? What do I see in my life that is different than before? -(Or, if you’re not currently following Jesus): What is it that I hope to be different?
When Jesus claims “I have come so they may have life, and have life abundantly,” what does that mean? When I imagine “abundant life” what would that be for me? Am I experiencing it? Even when things are not perfect, even in hardships, do I find life and joy welling up in me? Could I, as Paul did, sing for joy in a prison as well as on a mountaintop?