Day 21 Prayers for Purpose

Pray that they discover or rediscover their purpose in life.

Proverbs 19:21

"Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails."

My pastor is a recovering addict that came through the Celebrate Recovery program that our church grew out of. He tells a story often about a time that he had gone out to a beautiful setting in nature and was spending time with the Lord and reflecting on what God had done in his life and how far he had come. He said to God, “God, I can’t believe that you turned a crackhead into a preacher!” God replied, “You were always a pastor. You turned a pastor into a crackhead.” God has a purpose and a plan for us all from the day we are born. We can run from it, rebel against it, and fight it all we like but we are not powerful enough to thwart God’s will in our lives.

Our loved one’s addiction is not keeping them from God’s purpose in their lives. I have a very dear friend who had both of her sons in addiction. As you can imagine, it was difficult when she ran into friends with kids that were doing great in life and the conversation turned to how her kids were doing. She began to answer the question with, “They are still working on their testimony!” It was a humorous way to answer the question without giving the gritty details and the first time I heard it I laughed. But as time has gone on I have come to see how profound that statement really was. Both of her sons are sober today and they were in fact working on their testimony. Now that the story has unfolded and we see the end results of the men those boys have become, we can see how God was at work in their lives to get them where they are today.

Whether or not they ever come out of addiction, God’s purpose in your loved ones lives will not be thwarted. While it is certainly our prayer that His purpose involves them seeking recovery and following Jesus, we must ultimately trust God with His plan. I certainly hope for your sake and theirs that God’s timing comes quickly but I trust Him if it doesn’t and I hope you will too. God will never leave them or forsake them no matter how far they run from Him. When they return to Him, He will open doors and restore the plans He had for them all along. That doesn’t always look like we think it will or maybe even the way we want it to look but it always comes about.

It is also important that we not abandon God’s purpose in our lives. We aren’t powerful enough to thwart God’s will in our lives either but if we aren’t obedient we can cause ourselves to suffer just because we must face the consequences of our disobedience. Our loved one’s addiction can consume us and get us completely off track. It’s important that we don’t let our overwhelming emotions divert us away from our faith and discipleship. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to miss out on one ounce of blessing God has for me in this life or the next. I pray today that all of us rediscover and recommit to our purpose in life. There is no greater joy than walking on the path that God has for us even in the rockier sections.

May God bless you on this journey!

Precious Heavenly Father,

We come before You today, lifting up our addicted loved ones and asking that You reveal or renew their sense of purpose in life. Lord, in the midst of their struggles, they may feel lost, broken, or unsure of their value and direction. We pray that You remind them that You have a plan for them, a purpose that is greater than their current situation.

Help them to see themselves through Your eyes, as people created with meaning and significance. Guide them as they walk the path to healing, showing them that their lives have value and that You have a future full of hope in store for them. May they discover or rediscover the purpose for which they were created and feel encouraged to walk in it.

Surround them with the people and resources that will help them uncover their gifts and abilities, and give them the courage to embrace the plans You have set for them. We trust in Your promise to fulfill Your purpose for their lives.

In Jesus’ mighty name,Amen.

Romans 8:28

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

Proverbs 19:21

"Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails."

2 Timothy 1:9

"He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace."

Philippians 2:13

"For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose."

Psalm 138:8

"The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands."