Day 1 – Center on Christ

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
~ Colossians 1:10-18 ~

When it comes to understand our purpose, seeking personal fulfillment in life, and having a peace of mind to where we experience joy – all of it centers on our faith and testimony of who Jesus Christ is. His message. His ministry. His example. His death. His burial. His resurrection. This is the rock on which we build our faith. Christ needs to take preeminence in our personal lives if we are to go forward with purpose and faith.

Christ needs to take preeminence in our personal lives if we are to go forward with purpose and faith.

Tweet

Today, there are two prevailing schools of thought. Finding a sense of meaning and purpose from the perspective of the world – to achieve a sense of fulfillment and life satisfaction. Or to find a sense of meaning and purpose through Jesus Christ and the Infinite Atonement – our plan of salvation and happiness. The first relies on self-centered whereas the second relies on Christ-centered.

From the self-centered perspective, we seek to find meaning and purpose in our faith and decisions of what we desire. What we want to accomplish in our lives. What goals we are wanting to establish to progress and increase. Granted, these are not wrong to pursue in the Christian life. However, they weaken our ability to seek full enjoyment and understanding of our own life. This includes those challenges and adversities we may face.

Our purpose and significance are found in Jesus Christ when we humble ourselves and come unto him and follow him.

Tweet

The Christ-centered perspective fulfills the scripture where it says: “In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10). This is because Christ created us, by the authority of the Father, to fulfill God’s will and purpose. And since we were created by God – we were created for a greater purpose than any motivational speaker or other resources may attempt to teach us.

Therefore, it all centers on Christ and begins with Him. Centering our faith on Christ we are growing in knowledge and awareness of our divine origin, our divine purpose, and our divine destiny. Our purpose and significance are found in Jesus Christ when we humble ourselves and come unto him and follow him.

However, there are some within our society and culture who may view Christ and the message of the Gospel as to attain their own self-actualization. To attain their own sense of transcendence in this life. To them, Christ represents something of an ideology. A means to express prevailing social attitudes and even political agendas. Again, such attitude stems from a self-centered perspective. God is merely a means to their own desire for a sense of purpose and meaning.

True, and authentic Christian faith and living, rests on the pure doctrine of Christ where life is about letting our Heavenly Father use us for His purpose and not for our own gain and sense of satisfaction. The Apostle Paul taught that for those who are carnally minded are set against the true things of God. However, those who are spiritually minded are such because they have set their hearts and minds on God for life and peace (Romans 8:6).

What then is the purpose of life? On June 7, 1981, Franklin D. Richards gave a devotional message entitled: The Purpose of Life where he shares:

What, then is the purpose of life? To be proved, to grow, to develop in accordance with the principles of the gospel, and to prepare ourselves for the next estate. Each of us has the capacity to achieve worthwhile objectives, and we should never forget that we are actually spirit children of our Father in Heaven and that every person is given a gift by the Spirit of God (see D&C 46:11)

Christ stipulated that when one finds his life may lose it. However, for those who lose their lives for His Sake shall find it (Matthew 10:39). Therefore, when we do all that, we are able to do to find fulfillment, achieve success in this life and to have some sense of peace – if it is without our faith, our hearts, and our minds centered on Christ, it is all for naught.

Our purpose is much more than what we want to accomplish. It is much more than merely living life. It is to develop, grow in knowledge, increase in faith, and to obtain a much greater reward that is in Heaven. This is the reason Christ said that we are to first seek the kingdom of God first (Matthew 6:33) and then all the blessings will be added upon us. What we desire to accomplish is done with our eye single to God’s glory.

Key point

Christ is preeminent and must come before all things

Meditate and Ponder

Is my life centered on Christ? Am I living according to the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Am I seeking after God and growing in faith and testimony of Jesus Christ? If not, what do I need to do to center my heart, mind, and life on Christ?