Have you ever had one of those days that you really wondered just what your purpose is in all of this? I returned to work after having July 4th through July 7th off from my job as vacation time. Vacation time, for me, usually is spent doing things for my precious family. This time was no exception. 
On Tuesday, July 8th, when I went back to my job, I felt good about all the things that I had been able to do for my family and with them. But, I was absolutely exhausted!
I hadn’t even opened my office door yet before being bombarded with questions and requests for service of some kind. I don’t think I had even sat down yet before word had gotten out that “Robbie’s back and she’s in her office!” From that moment and throughout the whole day, there was a constant stream of people at my desk or calling me on the phone demanding something. I want, I need, do this, do that.
Being a believer of “pray without ceasing”, I was definitely sending some prayers up- “Lord, I know my job is to be of service but this is ridiculous! I need Your help and I kind of need it soon!” Sweet little Sandi came to my rescue, offering to answer the phones for me, said, “Why don’t you go on out to your car and pray?”
Everybody at work knows that I pray- constantly. I go to my car and pray during lunch and on all my breaks. Believe me, I know that I cannot make it through the day on my own. I have to stay plugged into the Source of my strength at all times.
Here is part of the conversation between the Lord and me: “Lord, I’m not feeling very good about things right now. In fact, I feel very mistreated. Lord, You’ve let us know that this is the wilderness place for my husband and me. I’m really trying not to murmur and complain like the children of Israel did (I think I felt His eyebrows raise on that remark) but, Lord, could you just please tell me, what exactly is the purpose in all this? Since we stepped out in faith and moved to Tennessee (our wilderness place) we’ve been in a battle here that never lets up. We’re tired and we’re worn. Please tell me again, what is our purpose here? What is my purpose?”
My Jesus knows exactly what I need when I need it. I could feel His love surround me in a very tangible way. The Holy Spirit reminded me of what Jesus said in
Matt 11:28-30: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] 29Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. 30For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good–not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.” Jesus is saying “ I’ve been where you are. I know what it is like. Come, let me teach you. Let me show you. Learn of me. I’m not the one trying to burden you like this. The enemy is. Learn to let Me have the burden the enemy is trying to place on you and let me deal with the enemy! Take My burden upon yourself for my burden is easy and you will always find what you need with Me.” My response to this is, “Lord, please teach me.” He did.
Here is a little more of the conversation: “ Robbie, you pray to be more like me. I am answering that request and people will be drawn to My presence in you. Many are hurting, confused, angry and just plain need help. Instead of feeling mistreated, maybe you should understand that my creation is drawn to that Source within you that is so strong. It is help and My Presence they are seeking. You know where true help lies therefore providing their answers or an ability to point the Way to their answers that others do not have.”
“Oh, Lord, please forgive me. I have received exactly what I have asked for. I just didn’t see it.”
“Forgiveness is always granted to those that ask it. As far as your being overwhelmed, I know how you feel-I’ve been there. I had just completed an exhausting time of preaching, teaching, healing, delivering people from demons and performing miracles. Several of My followers and I got into a boat to cross the sea and a great storm arose. I believe Mark referred to the storm as being of “hurricane proportions”. I want you to read Mark 4:35-41 and see what I was doing at the time.” I read the passage. “ Lord, you were asleep”. “Exactly. Robbie, you do not take the time to rest. Ever. For some reason, you and your husband go at a break neck pace all the time. Go back and read what you wrote at the beginning of this article. What do you usually do when you take vacations time away from “work”? The human body was not created to keep doing as you are doing. When I was on earth, in human form, I rested and you must learn to do the same. When you become overloaded and exhausted, your defenses are weakened and you make yourself very vulnerable to the enemy of your soul. Follow my example on earth and rest when your mind and body needs to do so. Place all your cares and trust in Me. Just as I settled the water and the hurricane winds in Mark 4, I will calm and settle all the turmoil that ever comes against you and those you love and pray for.” In my spirit, I heard, “Look in Philippians 3. You will find something that you need there.”
I keep a copy of the Amplified Bible with me so I looked it up and underlined it. Here is My Purpose:
“ 10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death… v.13 but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward. 15So let those [of us] who are spiritually mature and full-grown have this mind and hold these convictions; and if in any respect you have a different attitude of mind, God will make that clear to you …”
His whole purpose for me is to know Him! The Lord wants me to become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him-to know the power He gives us access to and to be transformed into His likeness. Thank you for reminding me of this, Lord. Thank you for telling me again.
While reading the rough draft for this inspiration, my friend and co-worker Sandi felt led to the word “pressed”. According to Webster’s dictionary, here are a few of the definitions: to act upon through steady pushing or thrusting force exerted in contact, to exert influence on, to move by means of pressure, to follow through a course of action, to force or push one’s way, to seek urgently as to contend, to require haste or speed in action, in basketball: to press as action to move toward the goal.
It is good to think about these terms in relation to the passage here in Philippians 3 and what it means to “press on toward the prize”. For me, I feel that in order to be so focused on the goal, we have to let go of those things that are behind us and leave them there. We have a better prize ahead of us. As we move toward the goal and the prize, things and situations often press hard against us. Jesus provides for us to have all that we need now to get us to the goal and the prize.
One thing that I constantly ask the Lord for is to have the faith to walk on water with Him. It is my heart’s desire that my husband and I walk hand in hand on water together with Jesus. In order to have His power and to walk on water with Him, we have to experience some of the things He experienced. For Him to be able to answer this prayer, He has to accomplish some things in us first. He has to accomplish some things in me. Sometimes unpleasant circumstances are used as the teacher. I have to learn, in all ways, to be the student and trust the Master with my education.
As I’m writing these words, I softly hear the question: “ Robbie, what is the first thing you do when you are being attacked by the enemy, when you are being hard-pressed and people and circumstances are coming against you?” My reply is very simple:
“Lord, I run to you. I crawl up into that Secret place of the Most High that you talk about in Psalm 91. You are my Source, my Supply, my Strength, Fortress and Strong Tower. I lean on you, rely on you and trust you. Without you, I have nothing and I am nothing. I need you for my every moment of life.” I gently heard the Words, “My precious child, that is how you walk on water.”
In His Service,
Robbie Goodwin