The company I work for recently had its employees take a personality test. It revealed that I didn’t have one. The company then hired a consultant to spend a day with us to help discover our God-given passions. It was an enlightening experience and a great day. I am grateful to work for a company that cares about these things. But a question continues to pound my brain. Why was it necessary?
In fact, why did The Purpose Driven Life sell a gazillion copies? Why did people flock in droves to Your Best Life Now written by the smiling preacher? I didn’t flock to it but at one time I did own The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg. Why, why, why? Why are we so driven to discover the best life we’ve always wanted? Why is it so hard to find?
At one time God made it so easy and evident for people. He knocked Paul off his horse and blinded him (I didn’t say that God always made it pleasant). He burned a bush for Moses. He told Abraham to go. Jesus called for Simon, Andrew, James and John to drop their nets and follow Him. God told Noah to build an ark and gave him the blue prints. He anointed Isaiah to “preach good news to the poor….proclaim freedom for the prisoners…to release the oppressed.” He told Jonah to preach and when Jonah tried to run from his calling, God threw him in the belly of a whale just to help him rethink his decision. And not to leave the women out, He gave the best job to Mary…have His Son.
But we keep buying more books to find the answers and filling our lives with more stuff when we get tired of reading the books. I just want God to tell me. Burn a bush. I’m dense, God. You need to be obvious. You don’t have to reveal to me my entire purpose, just enough to get me started…like You did with Abraham. Send an angel to speak to me. That was always one of your favorite methods.
I usually try to wrap these thoughts up in a nice little package with a pretty bow. I don’t have one this time.
Go buy a book…
Onword and Upwords by Dennis Brady 