Finding Significance and Fulfillment

Well, it's been a week or so, and I've had good intentions to do this post, but every day something seemed to have me busy. Poor excuse, so here it is, the company has left, and I'm finally setting down with some peace and quiet. I want to cover the other seven areas of our "Personal Guidelines and Belief System" from the book study on Victory Over the Darkness. I discussed "Success" last post and talked about how my thinking on "success" has changed throughout my life. This post let's take look at significance and fulfillment in God's eyes.

2. Significance. Key Concept: Time


"Significance is a Time issue. What is forgotten in time is of little significance. What is remembered for eternity is of great significance."


Version: NAS
1 Corinthians 3:10-14


10. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. 11. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12. Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13. each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is [to be] revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. 14. If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward.

How many of us are wives, moms, and grandmothers? Dads and husbands? Do we take care of our homes and families? Do we work outside the home? Do we get up everyday and hop on the hamster wheel and seemingly rarely get off? How many of us feel pretty insignificant in the "grand scheme of things"?  I know this concept of significance is similar to the previous one of success, but that is really the point. Taking the time to ponder our significance in life will eventually cause us to ask the age old question. "Am I a success?" and then, "Am I leading a successful and significant life?"


We've all heard the thought about lying on our deathbed and remembering the times with our family and children, and not the amount of money we made or the material "things" in life. When it all comes down to it, material things don't cut it; success and significance in our life have to come from inside our spirit. Our heart, mind and soul are the determining factors. The old saying of "whoever dies with the most toys wins" is a real joke.

The author, Neil Anderson, recalls a conversation he had with a young pastor who had recently been diagnosed with cancer. He had only been given a few months to live. The young man was greatly concerned about his "significance" in God's eyes and spoke of the fact that he had only led a few hundred people to the Lord. Neil reminded him that each of those people now have an eternity with Jesus. And that each one of those people were influencing others and so on and so on. What we may think of as insignificant, if it is done for God, then has lasting and eternal glory attached.

Version: NAS

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Success and significance are not measured in earthly terms. They are measured in spiritual. Fame is not equivalent to success or significance. How many people out there are famous for their lifestyle, fortune, or No 1. hits at the box office? How many people think they are living the dream when in reality when their time comes to meet Jesus face to face, they too late, will realize all their worldly fame and fortune cannot buy them the most important thing in eternity... the knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ.


3. Fulfillment. Key Concept: Role Preference
 Fulfillment in life comes when we realize that God has a specific plan and calling for us; that He has a place where He desires each of us to be for a specific time and purpose. Then as we understand that purpose, fulfillment will come. If we understand our "significance" in life, then we can realize "fulfillment" in our life. And submitting our "goals" to God, will ultimately be the test of our success or failure. I believe the scripture that says "with Christ all things are possible". The key phrase just has to be "with Christ". Are your life plans and goals, "with Christ"? And are they in His proper timing?


1 Peter 4:10
As each one has received a [special] gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Seeking God for our giftings and plans and goals will make our life make more sense. I've learned that if I'm struggling with something, be it a project or desire or plan, I need to be sure that I've received direction and approval from God concerning it. That doesn't mean it will always be easy or a "piece of cake", but it will mean that you know deep in your heart that God is walking ahead of you through it.

God has a unique place and plan for each of us. Seeking Him for His plan for our life ensures that we will be successful and find the significance we are looking for. And we know that each of us is most precious in God's eyes. He loves us like His own Son. We're the apple of our Daddy's eye.

Love in Jesus,
Debra