By Dr. James A. Scudder

An unknown author compared Christians without goals to Alice in the fairy tale Alice in Wonderland. In a conversation between her and the Cheshire Cat, Alice asked, "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the cat.

"I don't much care where," said Alice.

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go."

Some believers are not living on purpose. They are just drifting through a “wonderland” like Alice. Floating through life, they exhibit no direction or goals. Because they have no specific purpose, they do not even know where they are headed.

In Philippians 3:11, Paul said, If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. He wanted to keep his spiritual life in order, so that growth might continue. Although he knew he was saved and sealed for eternity, he realized he had not reached a point where he no longer needed spiritual growth.

Even after all he had done, Paul was determined not to rest in his past accomplishments. He did not become distracted by reminiscing, “Look at all the things I’ve done, all the times I’ve survived hardships, and all the times I’ve been stranded at sea.” Instead, he decided to focus on his continuing goal, “I want to keep growing.” This is a key step to living a purpose-driven life.

Like Paul we, too, must establish a Christ-centered aim for our lives. Rather than living a life filled with worldly distractions and uncertainty, we must fix our gaze on our goals to become more like our Lord, to serve Him and to reach others with the gospel. Let’s look at how we can live a life of purpose for Christ in 2010.                                                                                                                                                

Will Yourself to Win
Paul had a winning attitude. Although he had endured much suffering during his life, he was not negative or embittered at God. Instead, he always looked for advancement. A person with a winning attitude like Paul is never satisfied with his spiritual state.

Realizing there is always room to grow, he continually strives to become more and more like his King. In the Christian life, this continual desire to advance is the only way to effectively run the race.

I’ve talked to scores of people over the years who would say things like, “Well, I’d serve, but I was abused as a child. And I can’t overcome my past,” or “I dropped out of high school as a teenager. No one will ever respect me enough to listen to what I have to say.” We have no excuse. Look at these men and what they endured to rise to the top:

Winston Churchill seemed so dull as a youth that his father thought he might be incapable of earning a living in England.

G.K. Chesterton, the English writer, could not read until he was eight. One of his teachers told him, "If we could open your head we should not find any brain…"

Thomas Edison's first teacher described him as "addled," and his father almost convinced him he was a "dunce."

Albert Einstein's parents feared their child was dull. He performed so badly in all of his high school courses except for mathematics that a teacher asked him to drop out.

But these men weren’t satisfied with where they were. They didn’t make excuses for their shortcomings. They were determined to advance. We must have their tenacity if we wish to succeed in Christian growth. We cannot allow obstacles such as negative people or untimely circumstances to thwart our advancement.

Suppose we have problems or obstacles similar to those of these great men. How can we get to the point where we get over our inadequacies and determine to succeed? Some might suggest going to church, but that is only the surface of the solution. We need to realize the Word of God alone provides the answers. Meditating upon and applying this truth will provide a secure foothold for us to take the next step: confidence and bold determination. God will help us overcome our shortcomings to use us for His glory.

Personalized Purpose:
Perhaps you were abused as a child or were told you would never amount to much. Maybe your life has been filled with pain and tragedy. Or you may have never felt accepted by those around you. Give your past to the Lord. Determine to start fresh this year with the determination to have a winning attitude. When you rest in God’s strength by spending time alone with Him in prayer and in His Word, He can translate your winning attitude into a victorious life.

What Is Your Plan?
We can either live by design or default. One of golf's immortal moments came when a Scotsman demonstrated the new game to President Ulysses Grant. Carefully placing the ball on the tee, he took a mighty swing. The club hit the turf and scattered dirt all over the President's beard and the surrounding area, while the ball placidly waited on the tee.

Again the Scotsman swung, and again he missed. Our late President waited patiently through six tries and then quietly stated, "There seems to be a fair amount of exercise in the game, but I fail to see the purpose of the ball.”

Do you ever feel like you’re exerting excessive effort, but fail to see the purpose of the ball? Have you spent yourself in a cause just for the sake of doing it? Did you commit to doing something to advance your goals, or did you do it in spite of your goals? We need to plan and seriously consider, “What do I want to accomplish with my life?” Then we must balance that with the question, “What can Christ accomplish through my life?” This consideration will influence our pursuits immensely.

A.T. Pierson wrote these words, which describe in detail where the center of our plans should be:

“Whatever is done for God, without respect of its comparative character as related to other acts, is service, and only that is service. Service is, comprehensively speaking, doing the will of God. He is the object. All is for Him, for His sake, as unto the Lord, not as unto man. Hence, even the humblest act of the humblest disciple acquires a certain divine quality by its being done with reference to Him.

“The supreme test of service is this: 'For whom am I doing this?' Much that we call service to Christ is not such at all... If we are doing this for Christ, we shall not care for human reward or even recognition. Our work must again be tested by three propositions: Is it work from God, as given us to do from Him; for God, as finding in Him its secret of power; and with God, as only a part of His work in which we engage as co-workers with Him.”

Personalized Purpose:
What are your plans? Is God in them? Take a moment to consider your life and the plans you have made. Ask yourself the three questions posed by A.T. Pierson in reference to your plans: Is my plan from God? Is it being done for Him? Am I accomplishing my goals in His strength? Answer yourself honestly. This life will soon be past. Only what is done for our King will last through eternity. Don’t let 2010 slip through your fingertips. Come up with a plan. Be willing to let the Lord change it. Then strive for your goals.

Live Like a Winner
We all know the moment we are saved, we have the Holy Spirit living within us. We become children of the King of Kings! Does that mean we’re going to live perfect lives? Absolutely not. Does our kingly heritage negate the consequences of sinful living? By no means. As “King’s kids,” we can anticipate the chastening of God when we sin. The love of God cannot allow it to be any other way.

I once saw a bumper sticker which captured my attention. It said, “A hole is nothing, but you can break your neck in it.” Many people fall into a rut of emptiness and break their necks by looking at the world instead of looking to Christ. They feel the immediate, tangible benefits the world offers can be enjoyed longer than the unseen, future rewards of Heaven. However, they fail to realize their happiness in the future will be determined by their resemblance to Christ in the present.

Although we may have to wait until we get to Heaven to receive our full reward, we will also be able to enjoy heavenly blessings here on Earth when we live to serve our Lord. He will bless our lives with His joy, peace and strength.

But the benefits of living a life dedicated to God do not come instantly. They are often the result of spiritual growth. In India, farmers flood their rice fields in order to produce growth. This is a wonderful illustration of the Christian life. When we flood our lives with the love of Jesus, we make growth and advancement possible. For this reason we need to be in church as often as possible. We don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to live like a winner.

Personalized Purpose:
Do you yearn for a blessed life filled with the peace of God? Flood your life with Christ’s love by attending church and surrounding yourself with friends who will uplift you in your Christian walk. Don’t miss opportunities to grow. Determine this year to commit your risen life to an ever-deepening relationship with Christ.

Persist!
The secret to getting ahead in the Christian life is getting started and having a plan. Once we have that plan, we must persist. Sometimes we may be alone as we plan to live a life of purpose for Christ. We may find that friends are scarce, and we might receive negative comments. Although it can sometimes prove a struggle to let some old friends and habits go, it will be worth it all. A relationship with Christ will give us the joy and peace we lacked with worldly friends. It provides comfort and the security of a Friend Who sticks closer than a brother.

To win a marathon, a runner must take the first step. Likewise, to reach the goal of spiritual maturity, the Christian must take that first step. In Philippians 3:12, Paul said he was not going to miss the Mark — Christ. He would only miss the Mark if he took his eyes off the goal. When we allow sin in our lives, it pushes us away from that goal. We must lay aside the weights which burden us. We must persist in running the race.

Personalized Purpose:
Is there a sin holding you back from reaching your goal of becoming more like Christ? Take some time to identify the areas in your life that are slowing you down in your race to victory. Perhaps you are filling your mind with material from inappropriate magazines. You may be distracted by jealousy or a grudge you are holding against a fellow church member. Lay aside that weight by confessing it to the Lord right now.

Take the First Step:
If you want to live on purpose, here are four things that will get you off to a great start:

1. Understand you’re not perfect — so don’t try to be.
2. Forget the past.
3. Have a plan.
4. Persist — keep going!

Paul knew he wasn’t perfect. He forgot his past. He had a plan, and he was persistent in carrying out his plans for service to Christ. Paul didn’t compare himself with others. He compared himself to Christ, and that is how he grew.

Why don’t you choose today to make 2010 the year you start living on purpose? Begin living with a plan. Start setting goals for Christ. Take that first step, and you’ll be well on your way to a year filled with spiritual victory!