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Embracing God’s Good Purpose

Hello, friends! I hope your New Years was spent well! As we step into a new year, I’d like to share a scripture that consistently brings me deep refreshment and encouragement!

Now that 2023 is officially over, I know mixed feelings may arise. Maybe you were expecting God to move in your life in a certain area, or you thought God would open certain doors for you in this past year that are still possibly closed entering 2024. Maybe it was your most challenging year, and you’re relieved to embrace a new beginning.

Whichever situation you are currently finding yourself in, I want to focus on an uplifting scripture from Philippians 2:13.The NIV translation of Philippians 2:13 reads, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”

The phrase that resonates with me the most in this verse is “His good purpose”. His good purpose is exactly that – good. He promises to us that He works in our lives and in us to fulfill His good purpose. His purpose is undeniably good, and He assures us that He actively works in our lives to fulfill it.

Diving deeper, the word “good” in Greek translates to “kalos”. In the context of theological studies, “kalos” is a term that is not only used to convey moral goodness but also encapsulates the concepts of beauty, excellence, and inherent goodness. This term underscores God’s moral excellence, His beautiful purpose, and the inherent goodness of His divine plan. Describing God’s inherent goodness suggests that goodness is an essential and unchanging aspect of God’s nature.

I love how this single verse can branch off into multiple other truths scripture provides to us. Reading Philippians 2:13 reminds me that God’s purpose for my life will inevitably come to fruition (Matthew 6:10), it is beautiful and excellent (Jeremiah 29:11), and that His character remains steadfast (Malachi 3:6).

As I mentioned earlier, if you were expecting God to move in an area in your life last year but He didn’t, take heart. I want to encourage you today that God’s timing is flawless, and His works are never delayed. It is He who works in you to fulfill His good purpose over your life.

Philippians 2:13 reminds us that God is an active participant in our lives, and He is continuously working within us to shape our desires and actions according to His good purpose. Living in an imperfect world, God assures us that He creates beauty from ashes. He is not finished working in your life. The conclusion of 2023 doesn’t mark the end of the Lord’s work in your life. Keep reminding yourself that His purpose for your life is good, and that is an unwavering characteristic of the Lord. He is the same God today as He was over 2000 years ago.

I find so much contentment in knowing that God – the Creator of the universe, Author of every person’s story, Artist of every sunset – weaves my every day into something beautiful to glorify Him in the end. His purpose for our life is simply to bring beauty out of any season we may face. Something I’ve come to understand in my most recent season is that God never wastes pain, He redeems it. In this process of redemption, we discover beauty, affirming the goodness that the Lord assures us according to His purpose.

This unyielding constancy of God’s character is a source of immense comfort and strength because it reminds us that the same God who orchestrated the wonders of Genesis, the same God who walked the earth in the person of Jesus, and the same God who revealed His sovereignty to us in 2023 is the very same God we can turn to today.

If you are entering 2024 with prayers that you began praying in the previous year that you thought would be answered by now, I want to encourage you that He is not done. He is not finished with His purpose in your life. If the end of the story is not good, He is not finished.

Maybe your 2023 was accompanied with immense challenges, and now, you embrace the opportunity for a new beginning. I also want to encourage you that God has a beautiful purpose for your life. I don’t know what made your previous year difficult, but I do know that you can rest assured in the fact that the Lord never wastes a season. If you find yourself on the other side of pain or struggle, I pray you find true refreshment in knowing God still has significant work to accomplish in your life.

Friend, know that God desires to move in your life. The purpose He has for you specifically is not yet complete. I pray you remain faithful to Him and seek his face even in disappointments, and remind yourself of Philippians 2:13 when doubt arises.

In the moments when you feel like God hasn’t responded to you in 2023, take a moment to reflect on Philippians 2:13 and the truths it holds. The assurance that His purpose over your life is inherently good serves as a powerful antidote for doubts and anxious feelings.

As we step into this new year, I pray you hold onto the certainty that God’s purpose for us is good. Trust that the Lord, who orchestrated wonders throughout history, is unwaveringly present in our lives today. Your 2023 year may have come to an end, but the Lord’s transformative work in your life is just now beginning. I hope you have a fantastic day!