Purpose with Perspective

Not long ago I was having a conversation with my daughter. Horse training with purpose was one of the topics that came up. Horses are one thing she thoroughly enjoys. However, the horse she was training was having a tough time grasping the lead changes she was teaching. The frustration was apparent.

I told her to just go on a trail ride and enjoy riding. I did not understand the purpose of this specific training.  To my suggestion, she replied, “Mom, you must have a purpose for every ride.” She then began to explain what she was trying to do and the importance of the training.

“The right hind foot is the first beat of a canter on the left lead.”

“You use the left lead when you are going in a certain direction.”

“The inside leg is always leading.”

“You tell the horse what lead you want him to use.”

From this ‘over-my-head’ explanation I learned a few things that I will never implement in riding, but it became a source of inspiration for life.

Work With Purpose

Our Heavenly Trainer is working out His purpose in our lives. He sees the big picture. God’s perspective always surpasses our limited understanding. When situations in life seem to push us to the breaking point let us cry out to God. He is continually forming us into His image; using even the worst of problems to work His purpose in our lives.

“I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.”

Psalm 57:2

God’s eye is upon us. Remember, God will not forget us and let us slip through the cracks of life. You, as His child, can rest in confidence even when hit with life’s unexpected onslaughts. As we lean into His unchanging strength, God will fulfill His purpose for us.

God works with intention in our lives. He takes the inconceivable problems of our lives and fashions them for our good. (Romans 8:28) It is our part to be diligent in learning what God is working in us.

In fact, we need to implement purposeful training in our spiritual lives. Diligence and effort are both keys for spiritual growth. However, the importance of learning to hear the whispers of the Spirit cannot be overstated. Spiritual growth only happens as we depend on the Holy Spirit.

Train with Diligence

One purpose of teaching the lead changes is to help the horse to pay attention to your cues and obey instantly with just a movement. The trainer is directing the action of the horse. Moreover, the horse will become fluent in understanding the cues with purposeful, consistent training.

Just as a horse trainer directs the action of the horse, God gets to be in the saddle of our hearts, telling us how to act, what to say and when to wait. When we are diligent in our spiritual training our knowledge of God will grow. As we seek to live in the Spirit our understanding of how God wants us to live will increase.

Have you learned to distinguish God’s voice from the noise of emotions? Do you pause and wait when you hear the slightest whisper from the Spirit? Are you able to discern the lead change of the Holy Spirit? Are you fluent in the language of the soul?

Spiritual growth is maximized when we combine daily dependence on God, as well as purposeful obedience to His cues.

Let’s choose to trust our Trainer. God’s perspective is intertwined with the purpose of our lives. God will use even the undesirable situations in our lives to fashion us with purpose for our good and His glory.

“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me;”

Psalm 138:8