What is your purpose in life?
Now the elections are finally over, we can begin to address the many challenges our residents are facing. Some of you may have voted for candidates who lost, and some of you may have won this election cycle. Yes, elections have winners and losers, and as the old saying goes—elections have various and numerous consequences.
During the recent election season, we were confronted with misinformation, and hate rhetoric spewed by several candidates, some who have stoked fears against fellowmen, consumed with division, distrust, conspiracy theories, and increasing mistrust of our long-standing election traditions, a legacy of citizenship admired by many around the world—to name a few.
It is now time to move on and move forward. Let us begin to heal ourselves and each other to bring the unity we fervently desire. If you are expecting our elected officials to solve all the problems you are encountering, you will be disappointed. They are not our problem solvers. It will take a collective community effort to address the many issues before us.
Here is the good news. Each one of us with a transformed heart can make a difference to make our community a much better place to raise our families, enjoy our friends and do some of the things on our wish list. Each of us was born with an endowment of God-given gifts, most of which we share with many other natural beings. To our common gifts of vision, hearing, smell, taste, breath and touch, the most significant recognition is given to the heart, giving us the ability to feel and be aware of connection to spirituality—to acknowledge a power greater than any of us.
Throughout the planet can be found both common and unique ways devised to honor, revere and be grateful for the blessings of our gifts. In the Christian cultures, communities are guided by the Bible. In Galatians, Chapter 5:22-23, God with His grace and mercy gave us the fruit of the Spirit—like “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
How do we apply these gifts to our lives? This was written to a group of people during the early times who were trying to follow God’s righteousness but were not treating each other very well—and this also applies today. This passage refers to the attributes of a person who lives in accordance with the Holy Spirit. Each of us has at least one of these God-given gifts and some may have more. The question is: How do we use these gifts? To serve others? To make our community a better place than you found it?
Are your special talents a blessing to you? And a blessing to others? These are questions to help us realize our life’s purpose and meaning. As a believer and follower of God’s Word, our purpose is not to make us comfortable or to be wealthy. No, our life purpose is first and foremost to Glorify God.
He has a plan for everyone’s life; we are created for a purpose. The Bible says our purpose is to love God and to love others the way God loves us. We should serve and attend to the needs of others. That should be our purpose.
As we approach and celebrate Thanksgiving, let us be mindful to lift each other up and be deeply grateful for the blessings we have received by extending the same blessings to others in our community. Let us also honor the sacrifices of our veterans and their families. May their valor and bravery to protect our democratic values continue to keep our country as the beacon of light for peace around the world.
May God bless our country!
