From Abuse to Purpose
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalms 139:14 (KJV)
It has been said, “There is no happenstance, coincident nor chance in God.” This is a true saying. You were not created willy-nilly. You were created on purpose. Even as I examined the lives of my closest ancestors, they too did not perceive God’s purpose for their life. Thus, much of their life was lost to purposelessness. When I received Christ as my Lord and Savior in 1987, my life changed immensely. Eventually, I came to understand that God made me a woman on purpose. I also came to understand that God made all women on purpose.
I recall that, as a young girl, I developed tonsillitis. The physician who diagnosed the infection prescribed antibiotics rather than surgery. In those days, it was common to surgically remove the tonsils because, as it was believed, they served no real purpose to the body. However, my doctor refused to remove the tonsils, believing that in later years such removal would eventually cause cancer of the lymph nodes. Even though many in the medical community believed tonsils had no real purpose, my physician was wise enough to know that, everything in the body has a purpose for being there. After receiving antibiotic therapy, my tonsils were healed and I never had problems with them again. My lymphatic system remains healthy too. Little did I realize, this experience would be a type of catalyst to reveal more about divine purpose for my life.
You are created by God and for His purpose. Dr. Myles Monroe said, “When you don’t know the purpose of a thing, abuse is inevitable.” I agree with Dr. Monroe. Much of my life was wasted because I did not understand God’s purpose for my life. Consequently, I married twice, selected colleges, gave birth to two beautiful daughters and chose careers without knowing God’s purpose for my life. Eventually, that purposelessness led to bad judgment and a host of life failures and multiple attempts at suicide. All these things, and more, occurred because I did not understand divine purpose for my life. I lived with physical abuse, emotional abuse and self-abuse all because I did not know or understand my reason for living.
Abuse is literally, “Ab-use.” It is a combination of the prefix, “ab” (meaning away from) and the word “use” (to employ for some purpose). So, if you suffered abuse in your life, then you suffered being taken away from purpose. If you were physically abused, then your body was taken “away from its purpose.” If you were emotionally abused then your emotions and even your soul were taken “away from their purpose.” Abuse or ab-use can occur even in the church. Well-meaning yet over zealous leaders and Christians can operate in spirits of control and unbalanced religion. Consequently, they inflict spiritual abuse upon God’s people. If you were victimized by a spiritually abusive leader or Christian, then your spirit was “take away from its purpose.” You and your perpetrator did not know God’s purpose for your life.
There are many ways to discover divine purpose for your life. The most obvious and direct way is to ask God and wait for His answer. When He answers, be quick to obey. However, you may not be skilled at discerning the many ways that God reveals His purpose for your life. So, here are some ways to put you on the right track. When you understand God’s purpose for your life, you are less susceptible to being victimized by abuse.
GET THE RIGHT OPINION. “There are only three opinions in life that really matter: Your opinion of God; God’s opinion of you; and your opinion of yourself.” – Bishop Dale C. Bronner (http://www.dalebronner.com).
1. YOUR OPINION OF GOD. Jesus asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I am?” (Mark 8:27). The disciples answered with every known opinion to man regarding the identity of Jesus. It is not someone else’s opinion of God that gets your through difficult situations. You must have your own opinion of who Jesus is. Next, Jesus asked them, “But whom say ye that I am?” (Mark 8:29). Jesus knew that it was of utmost importance for His followers to have a personal relationship with Him. Apart from a personal relationship with God, you will have no revelation of who He is. Without a revelation of Him, you will be unable to identify who He is. Thus, you will have no healthy opinion of the God you serve to sustain you during difficult times. Jesus’ sheep know His voice and they will not obey the voce of someone else (John 10:10).
2. GOD’S OPINION OF YOU. Your abuser, whether it is you or someone else, does not understand God’s opinion of you. Change that by understanding what God says in His Word about you. Then embrace that truth for the rest of your life. Here is God’s opinion of you: “I know the plans that I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope or a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV). God has no desire to harm you. So if someone else desires to do you harm, they are not of God. Also, there is no need to be away from the purpose of God for your life, because God has plans for you and they include giving you a hope and a future. Abuse does not serve the purpose or plan of God for your life. Allow God’s opinion of you to prevail in ALL your situations.
3. YOUR OPINION OF YOURSELF. Ensure that your opinion of yourself embraces and celebrates what the Bible says about you. Here is what the Word of God says. “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Psalms 139:14 (KJV). Please understand that God made you fearfully (to be revered, honored and respected). Abuse fails to recognize that you are made fearfully. In fact, abuse or ab-use, totally disregards this very important fact about you. Not only are you made fearfully by God, but you are wonderfully made by Him. God made you to be distinct, marked out, and to be admired for the excellence with which He made you. Abuse forces you into indistinctness and causes you to be devalued and even hated. Even though abuse has a nature that tolerates rather than celebrates you, understand that your opinion must always be that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. That opinion will prevail against all types of abuse.
The Lord bless you richly!
~Minister Sandy
It has been said, “There is no happenstance, coincident nor chance in God.” This is a true saying. You were not created willy-nilly. You were created on purpose. Even as I examined the lives of my closest ancestors, they too did not perceive God’s purpose for their life. Thus, much of their life was lost to purposelessness. When I received Christ as my Lord and Savior in 1987, my life changed immensely. Eventually, I came to understand that God made me a woman on purpose. I also came to understand that God made all women on purpose.
I recall that, as a young girl, I developed tonsillitis. The physician who diagnosed the infection prescribed antibiotics rather than surgery. In those days, it was common to surgically remove the tonsils because, as it was believed, they served no real purpose to the body. However, my doctor refused to remove the tonsils, believing that in later years such removal would eventually cause cancer of the lymph nodes. Even though many in the medical community believed tonsils had no real purpose, my physician was wise enough to know that, everything in the body has a purpose for being there. After receiving antibiotic therapy, my tonsils were healed and I never had problems with them again. My lymphatic system remains healthy too. Little did I realize, this experience would be a type of catalyst to reveal more about divine purpose for my life.
You are created by God and for His purpose. Dr. Myles Monroe said, “When you don’t know the purpose of a thing, abuse is inevitable.” I agree with Dr. Monroe. Much of my life was wasted because I did not understand God’s purpose for my life. Consequently, I married twice, selected colleges, gave birth to two beautiful daughters and chose careers without knowing God’s purpose for my life. Eventually, that purposelessness led to bad judgment and a host of life failures and multiple attempts at suicide. All these things, and more, occurred because I did not understand divine purpose for my life. I lived with physical abuse, emotional abuse and self-abuse all because I did not know or understand my reason for living.
Abuse is literally, “Ab-use.” It is a combination of the prefix, “ab” (meaning away from) and the word “use” (to employ for some purpose). So, if you suffered abuse in your life, then you suffered being taken away from purpose. If you were physically abused, then your body was taken “away from its purpose.” If you were emotionally abused then your emotions and even your soul were taken “away from their purpose.” Abuse or ab-use can occur even in the church. Well-meaning yet over zealous leaders and Christians can operate in spirits of control and unbalanced religion. Consequently, they inflict spiritual abuse upon God’s people. If you were victimized by a spiritually abusive leader or Christian, then your spirit was “take away from its purpose.” You and your perpetrator did not know God’s purpose for your life.
There are many ways to discover divine purpose for your life. The most obvious and direct way is to ask God and wait for His answer. When He answers, be quick to obey. However, you may not be skilled at discerning the many ways that God reveals His purpose for your life. So, here are some ways to put you on the right track. When you understand God’s purpose for your life, you are less susceptible to being victimized by abuse.
GET THE RIGHT OPINION. “There are only three opinions in life that really matter: Your opinion of God; God’s opinion of you; and your opinion of yourself.” – Bishop Dale C. Bronner (http://www.dalebronner.com).
1. YOUR OPINION OF GOD. Jesus asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I am?” (Mark 8:27). The disciples answered with every known opinion to man regarding the identity of Jesus. It is not someone else’s opinion of God that gets your through difficult situations. You must have your own opinion of who Jesus is. Next, Jesus asked them, “But whom say ye that I am?” (Mark 8:29). Jesus knew that it was of utmost importance for His followers to have a personal relationship with Him. Apart from a personal relationship with God, you will have no revelation of who He is. Without a revelation of Him, you will be unable to identify who He is. Thus, you will have no healthy opinion of the God you serve to sustain you during difficult times. Jesus’ sheep know His voice and they will not obey the voce of someone else (John 10:10).
2. GOD’S OPINION OF YOU. Your abuser, whether it is you or someone else, does not understand God’s opinion of you. Change that by understanding what God says in His Word about you. Then embrace that truth for the rest of your life. Here is God’s opinion of you: “I know the plans that I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope or a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV). God has no desire to harm you. So if someone else desires to do you harm, they are not of God. Also, there is no need to be away from the purpose of God for your life, because God has plans for you and they include giving you a hope and a future. Abuse does not serve the purpose or plan of God for your life. Allow God’s opinion of you to prevail in ALL your situations.
3. YOUR OPINION OF YOURSELF. Ensure that your opinion of yourself embraces and celebrates what the Bible says about you. Here is what the Word of God says. “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Psalms 139:14 (KJV). Please understand that God made you fearfully (to be revered, honored and respected). Abuse fails to recognize that you are made fearfully. In fact, abuse or ab-use, totally disregards this very important fact about you. Not only are you made fearfully by God, but you are wonderfully made by Him. God made you to be distinct, marked out, and to be admired for the excellence with which He made you. Abuse forces you into indistinctness and causes you to be devalued and even hated. Even though abuse has a nature that tolerates rather than celebrates you, understand that your opinion must always be that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. That opinion will prevail against all types of abuse.
The Lord bless you richly!
~Minister Sandy
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