The Contradiction of Purpose
One of the definitions of contradiction is a situation in which inherent factors, actions or propositions are inconsistent or contrary to one another.
I have come to understand that often times our lives seem to be in contradiction to our purpose. I have experienced this personally in my life and I have seen this in the lives of great men and women. We can also see this in the below Scriptural examples:
- Abraham – His purpose was to be the father of nations, yet, from our ongoing study of his life, we know that he remained childless for a considerable period of his life (Genesis 12-21)
- Joseph – His purpose of exalted leadership was revealed to him at a tender age through his dreams. However, before he could achieve this fully by becoming the Prime Minister of Egypt, he was sold into slavery. When finally life seemed to be turning around in his favour, he was imprisoned. (Genesis 37-41)
- Moses – He was created to be a deliverer of Israel. He was born at a time when there was an order that all Hebrew male babies were to be killed at birth and in a series of events, he ended up being raised by the very people who passed that decree. In a fit of anger, he murdered an Egyptian. Afraid of the repercussions of his murder, he fled from his adoptive family and into self imposed exile in the desert. As if that was not enough, when God sent him back to Egypt to deliver the Israelites from slavery, the very people he was sent to, rejected him.(Exodus 2-12)
- Rahab – She was a prostitute from Jericho. In spite of her occupation, God had great plans for her. He used her to help the Israelites conquer the land He had promised them. As if that were not enough, she formed part of the lineage that God would use to birth King David and eventually Jesus! (Joshua 1-2; Matthew 1:25)
- Paul – We have studied the calling of Apostle Paul. We know that he was a persecutor of the very faith he was called to spread to the nations of the world. So great was his zeal for persecution of the believers that he gave approval for the stoning of Stephen. (Acts 7:54-8:1)
If you judge your life based on your current situation and past circumstances, it is very easy to lose hope and give up on the purpose God has put inside you. If anything, the very contradiction you are facing in your life should be a pointer to your very purpose! The contradiction is there as a compass, pointing you to the path God has for you. In fact it is an integral part of your path.
So, what should you do when you see this contradiction in your life? When your life seems to be making absolutely no sense? When your life seems to be going the opposite direction of where you know it should be going? You do what Paul did in Acts 14: 19-20 (NIV):
Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
You carry on doing what God has called you to do, no matter how small it may be. But whatever you do, don’t lose hope and don’t give up!