Text- Acts 15:6 – “And the apostles and elders came together for to consider this matter.”
As we go through life, many issues will arise; opportunities will show up; decisions will have to be made; risks will be taken; conflicts will arise; some adjustments will be required; new people will come into our lives; some others will leave… a lot of things happen!
As we navigate all of these, we are left with the responsibility of making the best out of every situation. Successfully doing this is what makes for high performance in life; a thing every right-thinking person desires.
However, if we will live a high-performance life, we must learn how to consider every matter. We must have a template by which we evaluate all the matters of life – that is, the issues of our own lives (and not that of others), son as to ensure that we make the best out of them. This will be the focus of our discussion for the next couple of days.
The first consideration in every matter is PURPOSE
It has been said that when the purpose of a thing is unknown, abuse is inevitable. In other words, the value of a thing is maximized only when the purpose is known. When the purpose is unknown, the value will be compromised.
So then, if the value of your life will be maximized, then you must know God’s purpose for your existence. Therefore, you must first go to God, not primarily in prayer, but in the place of intimacy (building a strong relationship with God), and yield to the Holy Spirit in leading you into the will of the Father.
Having done this, you are fit to decipher what opportunities you should take, and how to maximize any valuable thing that is placed in your hands.
Now to the art of considering a matter, which is the focus of our discussion – the first thing you do whenever a matter arises in your life is to understand its purpose.
You must know how to ask the questions of purpose – why did God send me to this place? Why has God blessed me with wealth? What is this situation supposed to accomplish in my life? … Until you have settled the question of purpose, you cannot make the best out of the situation.
This was exactly what Jesus did when he heard that Lazarus was sick: “So the sisters [of Lazarus] sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11: 3-4) The first thing Jesus did was to settle the question of purpose. He was unequivocal about it – The purpose of the sickness was so that the Son of God may be glorified!
That is the same way we should go about our lives. We should always deal with the question of purpose first – Understand the purpose of kingdom wealth before you become wealthy; understand the purpose of marriage before you take a wife, and in fact God’s purpose for you in her life; understand God’s purpose for every situation you find yourself, and your life will doubtless be maximized.
PRAYER
Father, please grant me grace to rightly consider every matter, make the best out of every situation, and live a high-performance life for your praise and for your glory in Jesus Name
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