Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Friday, January 11, 2019

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."¹

Another way for enriching your personal life is by investing your life in a worthwhile cause. Everybody needs something to live for that is bigger than him or herself—a noble or worthwhile cause into which he/she can put his/her best efforts.

A few years ago I was going through a particularly difficult time. Had it not been for both my work and an outside project, I'm sure I would have cracked under the strain. My work is helping people discover more meaningful personal and spiritual values and my outside project at that time was building my own home with my own hands—both worthwhile causes.

A creative use of one's talents is also essential for giving meaning to life. God gave us all talents to use. When we aren't using them, we feel unfulfilled.

One man I know was very successful in his work but he was feeling very unfulfilled in it. He felt his job was too small and that he wasn't using his best talents. So he took the risk, quit his job and went back to college to train for the work he really wanted to do. He struggled for several years but today he has built a work that is helping many people, and this has greatly enhanced his purpose for living.

This is why I believe it is important to discover what your best talent is (or talents are), get the training you need to sharpen that talent, and find a place where you can use it—either in your job, in a hobby, in your church, or with a volunteer organization. God's purpose for your life will definitely involve the use of your gifts and talents in ways to help others.

Faith, hope, and charity. The poet Goethe lists nine requisites for meaningful living. They are as follows: "Health enough to make work a pleasure. Wealth enough to support your needs. Strength enough to battle with difficulties and overcome them. Grace enough to confess your sins and forsake them. Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished. Charity enough to see some good in your neighbor. Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others. Faith enough to make real the things of God. Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future."

There is, I am sure, no greater way to increase your hope for the future and enrich your personal life than by learning to love others more fully, by developing a vital faith in God, and discovering and fulfilling your God-given life purpose. Why not tell God right now that you want to do that and confirm your decision by becoming more involved as a volunteer in community service, a mission organization, and/or in your church or chapel. If you are not involved in a local church, ask God to help you find the church that is right for you.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to increase my hope and trust in you and thereby renew my strength and, as I serve you with meaningful purpose, help me to soar on wings as eagles, run and not be weary, and walk and not faint. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV).

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