The Purpose Driven Life
Darin and Robert talk about how many of us have been deeply wounded and crippled by our present understanding of “purpose” and “calling.” Countless, sincere Christians have been raised in a letter-of-the-law mentality that has caused us to force spiritually square pegs in round holes in a desperate effort to make everything fit perfectly. Rather than ponder the things of God, we are taught to demand answers and then live by them like heartless robots. Breaking free from ideas about our purpose and calling can take awhile and usually does. Living in the wild is a time where each of us can get reacquainted with the things our heart originally desired but cast off in the name of “purpose.” It’s so exciting to realize that we just might be called to be free, and our purpose is not something we seek, but something we trust is in His hands entirely.
To download podcasts, click on the 
to the right side of the player.
Copyright © 2010 The Free Believers Network | All Rights Reserved
The term "calling" just makes me giggle :) But when we look at our lives as having seasons it makes sense. It's not the same thing life long. Seasons change and are very different. So in this season of my life I am doing one thing and that is my purpose now. Then the "season" changes & I am doing something else....for such a time as this. It's a rich tapestry, our lives. We really should go with the flow and move from thing to thing as God leads. Changing with the seasons. The ONE thing that is the ONE calling is so skewed and messes up people's heads. Loved this podcast!
i figured out that I love being a part of producing the show at church...as sound engineer...but if I have to just sit and listen...I hate the show
I always had troubles when it came to the question what I wanted to do with my life...And I still dont know. I know that at the moment I want to be and enjoy life. Thats all. Though I wish I had the opportunity to go to college. But when I was back in school, I was forced to do an apprenticeship, means I had to choose my career at the age of 16. Now I would have to do my college entry diploma and this is quiet expansive. So I really would have to know what to do...man. And the whole religion thinking of calling etc also stole me some years...but I am glad to have a job where I still have all doors open and can to what I feel doing. And I try to enjoy and just live life. I really suppressed that need for a long time, because I thought I would miss my calling and I would waste my time. Looking back, I actually wasted more of my time in thinking that way...
Thanks so much for talking on this subject. I am amazed at how God has weaved so many threads in and out of my life...His love for people, my desires and interests, opportunities, relationships, experiences, hurts, time, etc. all contribute to a very fulfilling life. This belief of there being a single purpose for our lives is so puny and small-minded! Christianity seems to like boxes...many boxes.
Not sure if I heard you right though in regards to the Pharisees having a loose understanding of scripture and missing out on Jesus? I see it the other way around, especially in how they understood sin and the heart condition. I think the religious leaders taught such rigid interpretations of how one was to live and please God.
I'm fairly certain that my new found purpose for this next decade of my life is to annoy superstitious charismatics. For example, I'm going to be decorating my house with owls and frogs themes. Feeling fiesty!
Loved the last sentence of what was written to describe this podcast. How absolutely freeing. Thank you!
I noticed that when I played your podcasts, they always stop at about 62% on the bar and cut you off in mid sentence. This one was a good podcast up till then & it left me wanting to hear more.
I loved this! I'm one of those whose dreams were killed by religion, but at age 40, I started doing all the things I ever wanted to do. I swim, I'm an author, I'm a lifeguard and I'm loving it. And it feels like God is right there in all of it showing me off, "look at my little girl" type thing. I agree, I don't think there is one purpose, I think there is life and we were meant to enjoy this life and all it has to offer and I believe God enjoys it with us and shows us all off as a proud Daddy. I've also found that when you do what you enjoy others are blessed by your joy for the thing.
This was soooooo frick'n freeeeeeeeeing! Thanks guys! :)
You might like this website... The Porpoise Diving Life -- "Picking up where purpose driven peters out" http://www.theporpoisedivinglife.com/porpoise-diving-life.asp?pageID=40
I checked out that site, Joel. I loved it! The comparison it makes between porpoise diving life and the purpose driven life puts to words all the problems I was having with that book! Thanks
Dennis, I used to have problems downloading the podcasts, as they would download about half of the podcast episode. What seems to work for me is to download them early in the morning when network traffic is not too high. Always check the size of the podcasts after downloading in Windows Explorer - if they are, for instance, 5mb in size, you will have to download it again.
Darin. Ever thought of studying with the Messianic Jews? They are worth learning from.
I believe it is possible to abandon our purpose. The way we do that is stop listening to our hearts and giving in to the structure and order of man as many institutionalized Christians do. I DO believe it is possible to miss what God has for us by being slaves to the system and the demands of men. But there is that gentle paradox here where God's grace makes all things work together for our good, regardless. So this is one of those where I believe there is no cut and dry answer.
hey, Bob, I'm right there with you. I am finding that I am throwing out so much more of the "show" than I am keeping. But I am able to connect with some people and I really like doing the computer part of the production. So, I'm not sure if I'm being a hypocrite or not by helping to produce a product that I'm not buying. And based on all the comments here, I better listen to the podcast now!
HEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!!!!! Great stuff everyone.
Ohhhhhhh....I work at Starbucks... Jerks! LOL!
This whole area of purpose that is preached is one of those areas that becomes bondage and chains to so so many people. It's such a confusing area to people because I think the only purpose that any person should have is to know God. Paul says that, and look at what he did. He could have said, "My purpose is to take the gospel to the whooole world".. but he didn't. He says, his only purpose in life is that he might know Him. done. period. The other verse that I thought of was "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all of these THINGS will be added." Why can't we just know the Father, and let everything flow and unfold as it does? Why does it have to be so hard to know how you are wired, and do what you enjoy? It's not a mystery. I think how God leads us, and shows us has been so over complicated... and it's not. I love love what you had said Darin... I had a ministry to homosexuals, then I got tired of that, and had a passion for women, so I ministered to woman, then I got tired of that..
etc.. etc... I love that you have never felt boxed in..I am really coming to believe that just like the seasons of weather change around us, so do the things that we do in life change. The season I am in now, isn't going to look like the season I am in in 5 years, and then the season 5 years from then won't be the same. I so hope that I can offer love, acceptance and support to my husband, my children, my friends and family to be where their heart is leading them. It's just preached that you have to find that one thing... that one are that God has made you specifically to do..and people wonder their whole life, missing out on life because they haven't found it. So so sad and truly exasperating to many many people. God has made it easy to know where you are supposed to be..check what you love, check your desires, check your passions, check those things that you do that make you feel most alive. If you can answer any of those questions, then you know what to do. He has made it so simple.
I am all done ranting.. lol! No wait, one more thing! Don't be afraid to make mistakes! What is it about us and making mistakes? It has to be that we are taught that we indeed CAN miss God's will and disqualify ourselves from the race. But that isn't truth! Not at all! It's part of living and knowing what you like. If you don't try something and fail, how will you know that you didn't like it? Ok.. i am for reals done now! Awesome topic!
It's me again, going undercover to keep my identity quiet until I can work some of this freedom into reality. Some of us work in church institutions, that is, my job might be jeopardized if they found out how I really feel. I attend a church because it is required for my job. But I was "freed" several years ago when I had to walk away from the denomination I was born and raised in after I was part of an exposure of their underhanded political tactics. However, it has taken me awhile to be "freed" in my heart. Anyway I am observing how it is so common for preachers from the pulpit to create ways to keep people feeling inferior and in bondage. That way they keep coming back for more, always looking for the freedom they will never find, like the squirrel spinning his circle in his cage--he keeps running. It takes courage to step out of this box and trust God from the heart and then to act on that trust. Keep up the Good work.
O.K., first I have to say how much you two crack me up...love your humor!!!!! I really appreciated this podcast as my children are approaching the age of making more decisions for their lives. At times I am torn when talking to my 20 yr old son about what "career path" he should take....part of me wants him to be practical and find something that can support a family if he chooses to marry someday, but a bigger part of me wants him to follow the talent and passion that is in his heart because that is where he will truly find happiness and fulfillment. I've been telling him when you follow what God has put in your heart, who knows where that will lead you in life...the possibilities are endless(and so exciting!!)!! I will gather my kids around the computer to listen to this one together:) THANKS Robert and Darin:)
All the way from sunny South Africa. Enjoying the podcasts Darin. Interesting listening to other people who have been lead on a similar journey to me. Seems like God is quite capable of building his church. I feel that a purpose driven life is a poor sustitude for a relationship with Jesus.As Amy says "our only purpose is to know him".
Amy, please rant on! LOL I think you hit the nail on the head.
Concerning parables and stories Darin, I think there are many things in the Bible that are historical and literal and in other places, just parables and principles. That is why we need the Holy Spirit to teach and help us to discern the Scriptures correctly, after all He wrote it. Sadly, I think the concept of calling and the perfect vs permissive will of God/Ishmael vs Isaac has only served to put people into a terrible bondage because it feeds off of our fears, as religion usually does. I believe that most people struggle with a fear of failure in the first place. Now in the church, we've taken that fear to a whole new level: our destiny hangs in the balance. If we marry the wrong person, choose the wrong career path or do anything that does not line up with The Plan, we will not only incur God's sore displeasure, but we won't live the level of blessing we could have had had we made the other choice. Man, no wonder so many believers seem messed up.
Now God has a wonderful plan for your life. Just say this prayer after me . . . just kidding. This from those who claim to adhere strictly to Scripture but I don't see that anywhere. For some of us "the plan" turns out to be just getting up in the morning (yes, I did that again this morning) and facing the challenges the day brings the best we can with no booming voice from the sky to guide us so most of the time we just fumble along and find out later the stuff we needed to know before. There is no plan. We just be. What happens happens. (I might think differently tomorrow, but that is how I think today.)