Ellen Chauvin | Soaked & Sprouting

Soaked in God's Word, Sprouting Seeds of Faith

Escapes and Excuses – What’s Your Favorite?

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We all have them. A favorite method of escape or a prized excuse. Anything that helps us run away. Anything that gives a valid defense for not taking action.

When I want to escape, I run. I spend hours online doing “research” for the perfect vacation getaway. I look for the perfect mountain cabin, in hopes of seeing crimson, gold and rust colored leaves. It’s a place where I can have some “down” time to stop rushing and hurrying. I bury my head dreaming, instead of working on a plan to find the dreams of my heart.

Escape often comes in the form of a marathon session of Netflix, watching season one through twenty of my favorite television show. The important detective work of the Behavioral Analysis Unit from Criminal Minds can captivate me for days on end. I look forward to coming home from a long day at work and letting my brain vegetate. I run away by couch sitting in front of the TV, instead of running to try new and different things to determine my specific purpose from God.

But what am I really running from? Hmmm, I have to dig a little deeper to figure out this answer.

The obvious answer is failure. What if I crash and burn? What if I determine what my God-given purpose is in this life, and I fail? Won’t God be disappointed? I would rather run from an epic fail, than be a let down to my God. I convince myself that I can never succeed, so I don’t even try. That in itself is failure.

What I’ve also realized is that I run from success. What if I figure out the One Thing, the specific purpose God has put me on this earth for, and I succeed? I fear that it won’t be long before people will find out I’m a fraud, an imposter, a one hit wonder. After all, I don’t have the skills and abilities it takes to really succeed, do I?

When I’m not running from failure or success, I have a great excuse for not walking in my purpose: I have no time. You see, it takes time to do what the Lord has called you and I to do. I will need to wait until I’m retired to have the time I need to do His work.

No time, Ellen? What about those hours spent running? Looking for a vacation cabin or watching hours of tv? Ellen, what about Facebook? You hop online for “just a second” and the next thing you know, it’s an hour later. No time…really?

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Escapes and excuses: these two things potentially block me from finding my life’s purpose.

The Contemporary English Version of Ephesians 5:15-17 lays it on the line, with no sugar coating:
“Act like people with good sense and not like fools. These are evil times, so make every minute count. Don’t be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do.”

Ouch! Times a wastin’, don’t act like an idiot. FIND OUT WHAT THE LORD WANTS YOU TO DO. Then…do it!

So….What’s next? What steps can I take to run from my escapes and excuses and toward God’s purpose for me? I can heed this wise advice from Elisabeth Elliott: Do the next thing.

If we’re not sure of our divine purpose, we can be faithful and active to do the part we know. We must continue to minister and serve wherever we can meet needs. No more excuses. No more escapes. No more running.

How about you? What is your favorite method of escape or prized excuse? If you are comfortable, share in the comments. I’d love for us to encourage one another and pray for each other.

Grace be with you,

His Purpose, My Pitfalls

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Have you ever wondered “What is my specific purpose on this earth?” Not just this season or this age or after retirement, but your overall purpose in life? That “One Thing” that you could do forever, and never get paid for. The “One Thing” where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet?

[tweetthis]“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” ― Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking[/tweetthis]

Yeah, me too. Since about 2009, to be exact.

In her pocket book Discovering God’s Purpose for Your Life, Beth Moore states that we can live with all sorts of trials and tribulations easier that we can live with purposelessness. I agree. The thought that at the end of my days, my life had no meaning, is heartbreaking. There has to be a reason and a purpose for all my ordinary days. There has to be more than an auto-pilot life: waking up, going to work, going to sleep at night. And then doing it all again tomorrow.

We can see from scripture a foundational purpose for each one of us:

[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]. Philippians 3:10-11 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

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For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.” Romans 9:17 NASB

God Himself tells us that our purpose as Christians on this earth is to know Christ and to proclaim His name. First, we must KNOW Him, and then we must TELL others about Him, and what He has done in our lives: how He loves us, and changes us into His image more and more each day. We need to tell our stories.

But I believe there is also a specific, God-given calling that He has prepared for each of us. That purpose is where our laser-like focus should be pointed.

“If you are to live out God’s purpose for your life, you must come to a place where you determine a focus to your life. God has designed an excellence, a single purpose for you and me.” Beth Moore, Discovering God’s Purpose for Your Life.

“There is nothing quite as potent as a focused life. One lived on purpose…You become effective by becoming selective.” Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life.

“The fact that you’re standing here today with breath in your lungs testifies that God has a plan and purpose for you on this earth. Jesus wants you to live with bold confidence in His promises and humble dependence on His voice. He plans to transform you into a woman of purpose and lead you to places you could never otherwise go apart from Him.” Susie Larson, Your Beautiful Purpose.

Have you found your focus? Your One Thing? Or, like me, are you still unsure? I think I may know, but I’m not 100% positive.
I recently re-read Katie Brazelton’s book Praying for Purpose. In it, she walks you through some questions to help you determine your purpose and your focus in life. It was a wonderful prayer process, that revealed several things to me.

What struck me most was this: There are pitfalls that can potentially block my life purpose. I invite you to walk with me this month, as we dig deep into what circumstances or conditions may hinder us from knowing what our God-given purpose and focus should be.

And while we are taking this journey, let’s keep this upper most in our minds: The most important thing is KNOWING CHRIST.

“Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere refuse, so that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8 GNT

Grace be with you,