Speak to my Heart, God

Okay, so I'm going to start my devotions, and I'm going to use this book:
"Speak to My Heart, God" by: Kay Arthur
http://www.amazon.com/Speak-My-Heart-God-ebook/dp/B005T0WZ7M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357497682&sr=8-1&keywords=speak+to+my+heart%2C+god

So, day 1, chapter 1.

When You Wonder if Life Has Any Purpose

"Why was I born? What is the purpose of my existance? What am I worth to God?"

Have you ever asked yourself these questions? I have. In fact, I was considering all this just the other day as I sat in my big old chair (where I often pray), worshipping our Father by rehearsing aloud all that He is and has done. As I did, my mind went to the amazing truths of Ephesians 1. I thought of the magnificence and power of our Father in creating the world and in forming man from the dust of the earth. Then I thought of Ephesians 1:4:

"He chose us in Him before the foundations of the world!"

Awesome isn't it? To think that even before God created the heavens and the earth, He knew you and me, and He chose us!
Following this, my mind went to the fact that God has the course of history all planned out. God's plan wasn't broadsided by Satan in the Garden when that evil deceiver tempted Adam and Eve to sin. Everything was already in place, for Jesus was already the Lamb of God, slain before the foundations of the world. And so I began to thank our Father for making "known to us the mystery of His will," and for "the administration of the mystery...hidden in God" for all these ages (Ephesians 1:9-10, 3:9-10).
God has a plan, and neither man nor the devil can thwart it.
Then my mind went on to Ephesians 2:10 where He tells us that before the foundations of the world our Father prepared the good works that we are to walk in! Talk about understanding our worth! Talk about knowing that our lives have a purpose! Do you know this truth, my friend? And are you living in the light of it?
Do you realize how precious you are to God? Do you realize the significance of your life? It has a purpose. A specific purpose! As Ephesians 1:11 says, we live "according to  His purpose" -and His purpose is always the very best!
You are not an accident! You are not useless. You are not worthless. You are not unredeemable. Your worth and purpose in this life do not depend on who you are, on what you have done, or on what has been done to you. Your worth and purpose do not depend on where you have been, even if you have been to the very precipice of hell.
Your worth and purpose depend on God and God alone- His will, His calling, His choosing, His love.

"He chose us in Him before the foundations of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption...through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will" -Ephesians 1:4-5.

God paid the dearest of prices to redeem you from your life of sin and independence from Him. You were dead in your trespasses and sins; you were condemned to death row for all eternity. And justly so because of your sin. Yet the Father gave His Son to die in your place by the most brutal of deaths. He did this when you were still walking your own way, not even realizing the price He was paying. And had you known it, you probably wouldn't even have cared! That's how lost you were!
God loved you when you were His enemy. When you were a sinner, ungodly, and without hope, He loved you, pursued you, and wooed you. And He did not let go until you gave in and succumbed to His desire to be your Father, your God, your Lord, your Master, your Redeemer (read Romans 5).

Have you begun to comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of Christ's love for you, a love that surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:14-21)? Or are you walking around, lost in a maze of the enemy's lies? Are you blocked at every turn by thoughts and feelings that lead you down dead-end paths? Are you confused, not knowing where to go, where to turn, or what to do because you are led by your own emotions, your own feelings, your own suppositions? Or are you living by the evaluations, the opinions, the council or others rather than by the absolute truth of God's inerrant Word?
Our peace, our happiness, our well-being, our soundness of mind, our effectiveness all go back to what we believe- and whom we believe.
It does not matter what you experience, what you feel, what you think or hear. If it does not agree with the Word of God, then it is a lie and has its origins with the great deceiver, the father of lies (John 8:44).
Don't miss the knowledge of your worth and your purpose in this life by believing in his lies. Choose to believe God, no matter what. Ultimately, then, it comes down to: Where will you put your faith? In the character of God, in the Word of God, or in a lie? You alone can decide that. Its up to you. This is the choice God gives you. And no one can decide for you.
Everything you are going through, all that you are dealing with, has one ultimate purpose: that you may know the love of God and live in the light of His extravagant and more-than-adequate grace, which has been poured out on you. That is what you were born for: an intimate relationship with God. That is the purpose of your existance. That is what you are worth to Him.
But this intimate relationship requires two things: First, that you set aside time so your heavenly Father can communicate with you through His Word and through His Spirit. Second that you spend time communicating with Him in prayer.
If you want intimacy with God your Father, then you will have to make the time for it. And if you realize that it must be your highest priority, then nothing will stop you.
When nothing stops you and you put yourself in the position for God to meet with you, you will find that everything else falls into proper perspective because you know His voice when He says,"This is the way, walk it." And you'll walk in confidence, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that you are

"His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).
(Arthur, 2002, pp. 11-14).

Many times over the past year I have asked these questions. Daily I have to remind myself that He has a purpose for me and that if I listen, His purpose and plan is best. This is often hard when the day is just not going the way I wanted it to. My daughter is grumpy, I'm grumpy, etc. These are the days when I stand and question why I even had to get out of bed! Yet, that day has a purpose and I need to go through it to remember not all days are gloomy. The storms of life are there to help us see the rainbows and appriciate the sunshine. Besides, who wants to curl up on the couch with a good book, cup of tea, and a warm cozy blanket on a nice day?!
On a more national and community level, this reading reminds me of the purpose of the people amongst us. In light of the events over the past year, where many have lost loved ones due to the random acts of violence of a select few, it is a little comfort knowing that even these events have a purpose. Rarely do we know or understand that purpose, yet know that God turns even the most horrible deeds into His glory.

It is my hope that you too know and understand your worth and purpose in God. You are valuable and worthy of His love!