What is really the purpose of my day today?
For many of us, our days are made up of the same activities. But it is just here, right in the middle of what looks like a normal everyday life, that something truly amazing can happen!
“This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24.
Living according to God's Word
Each day is a rich and precious gift from God, with new grace and new possibilities. Each day we have the possibility to find and do God’s will in our lives. And how do we know what God’s will for us is? It’s really quite simple! We live according to His Word. We read God’s Word and we put it into practice.
For example, when we are tempted to worry about our future, we can “not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks”. Philippians 4:6 (NCV). When we are tempted to complain about the weather, we can “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”. 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
But when we start trying to live such a life, we will soon find it is not so easy. As we try to do what God's Word says in all the small situations, we see that “I don't do the good that I want to do, but I do the evil that I don't want to do”. Romans 7:19 (CEB).
We see that even though we really want to do the good, we are still bound by the sin in our fallen nature! In our own power we cannot fully do God’s will as we want to. Even if we try our very best, we are simply unable to really “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you”. Matthew 5:44. We can’t always think of the others as better than ourselves. (Philippians 2:3.) Our nature is too strong and our own self-will is too powerful. We need help!
A Man we can follow
Thankfully, there is help. It came in the form of a man. A man from Nazareth. His name was Jesus.
Jesus chose to leave the glory He had in heaven together with His Father and be born into this world with the same human nature as we have. (Philippians 2:6-8.) Just like us, He had a normal daily life. He was tempted to be angry. He was tempted to judge others. He was tempted to lie. But every time He was tempted, He said No to the sin in His own human nature. No to His own pride. No to His lusts and desires. (Hebrews 4:15.)
Instead, He chose to do God’s will. “Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.” Luke 22:42 (NCV). As He continued to say No to His own will every day, the sin in His human nature became less and less, and godly nature and the fruits of the Spirit became more and more every day. With the power of God’s Spirit, He overcame all the sin in His human nature!
“And because his obedience was perfect, he was able to give eternal salvation to all who obey him.” Hebrews 5:9 (NCV).
And now it is possible for us to do the same as Jesus! God sent the Holy Spirit to us on the day of Pentecost for this reason. “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.” John 14:26 (GNT).
The Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome completely when we are tempted. We also can say No to our own will in our situations. Instead, we can do God’s will. Where we were angry before, we can become good! Where we were irritated before, we can become patient!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23. These fruits of the Spirit can become our life! With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can also become perfect and complete, needing nothing! (James 1:4.) And then God can also say of us: This is my son, this is my daughter, whom I love, and I am very pleased with him, with her. (Matthew 3:17.)
A bright future
When we choose to do God’s will rather our own, we know that we have a glorious future ahead of us, both here on earth and for all eternity!
“So we do not give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal glory that is much greater than the troubles.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NCV).
That is the reason and purpose for today! Today I can be well-pleasing to God. Today I can overcome the sin I see in myself, and today I can get a little more godly nature. If I do this every day, my future is truly bright! “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more.” Revelation 3:12.
So what’s your day going to be like today? Is it just another day that will go by, or will it be a day full of possibilities, a day of eternal value?