This morning I was reminded of the importance of ‘just being’. The image of relaxing in the sunshine under a tree, not concerned about anything and ‘just chillin’, came to mind.

When we understand that God Almighty, creator of this entire universe is our Father, that’s how we approach life. We approach life from the perspective of purpose and not worry.

A recent conversation with a friend about customs and acceptable norms, brought to my attention the fact that I worry about so many unimportant little things every day. Like, “…is it acceptable to say good morning when you’re passing two colleagues deep in conversation, in a narrow hallway, or should I just pass by.”

Well, in my culture you don’t pass by people without greeting them, but in some cultures it’s seen as interrupting a conversation. So what do I do? Now, I refer to things like that as ‘dumb stuff’! Stuff that soak up my attention and energy and that are absolutely irrelevant to my purpose.

I like greeting people so when I pass two people in conversation or not, I just say “Good morning”! If they choose to answer ‘woohoo’, if not ‘woohoo’ all the same.

I know this is not just a ‘me’ issue, many of us worry about people’s perception of us, and it consumes a huge chunk of our attention!

In our selfie culture where everybody just puts their best on social media, we’re often left comparing ourselves unequally. The problem is we know all our own faults and shortcomings, and we compare those to what we see, which is usually the best of others.

This whole comparison thing, is such a disruptor of purpose, because it makes us see ourselves as less than, incapable and sometimes even unworthy. All of which are contrary to what God’s word says about us.

The truth is, if we are focused on purpose, and on doing things as unto God, we’re giving our best in excellence, in everything we do. Please note that I’m not talking about perfection. That’s a whole other conversation. 😊

I can recall a time when I had just moved to a new city, and was looking for a permanent position in a specific industry. I continually received calls for temporary positions, and at each interview, I was told that they would love to have me fill the temporary position, because they got word from my previous supervisor, about how awesome I was. One day I complained to God, and asked him why I couldn’t get a permanent position if I was so awesome. He reminded me that I needed to focus on Him, and on fulfilling His purpose for me.

After that, every day that I worked I did everything “as unto God”. Not only did I experience more joy while performing my functions, but that joy was contagious, and my coworkers often commented that I brought so much joy to the establishment. Within about 6 months, I got a permanent position, and all the circumstances around my getting hired, pointed to the fact that God opened that door.

Today, I want to encourage you to focus on God, and on fulfilling His purpose for you ‘today’. Don’t worry about tomorrow’s purpose. As Matthew 6:34 (TPT) says, “Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.”

When you focus on purpose, worrying about ‘dumb stuff’, falls away, and before you realize it you’re just being you, doing and being all that God intended. Not because you suddenly became perfect, but because God’s love covers all of your imperfections, and by His power working in and through you, you accomplish all that He wants you too.

Child of God, I pray that as you go about your activities, God will open doors and straighten pathways for you, that you will feel his presence and experience his favor with each step you take.

I pray Ephesians 3:18 & 19 (TPT) over you: May you “… be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!”