Practical ways to get back to original intent and purpose-how to move towards restoration

Following on from my last note on restoration, I feel like there are some practical things I can do to stay connected to my original intent and purpose in Him. And so I thought I would share them.

First of all when you lose vision or become disconnected from something, you have to try to reconnect and find vision again.

How do I do that?

I intentionally set time aside to meditate on who He has called me to be, who He has said that I am, the destiny He has called me to etc etc. I find revisiting prophetic words that others have given me, or prophetic insights/scriptures that He has released to me, all help to confirm, affirm and underline my identity and my purpose in Him. What you think on determines what you do. Action flows from thought: As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. What you say about yourself and the kind of conversations you have will indicate the thoughts you think, positive or negative.

Secondly, I spend specific and consistent time to just dream with God. I dream about what I am passionate about and what it would take to see some of those things fulfilled. What would my passion fully realised look like? How would that affect the world? What are some small practical ways I can begin doing that?

I find dreaming releases me to think bigger and more creatively. It breaks down restrictions and limitations in my thinking, exposing faulty mindsets by revealing truth!

All of these ways help me to connect to His original intent and purpose for me.

So what are some things that you do to come back to or stay connected with original intent and purpose?

Restoration

Last year, I was up in the highlands visiting my former flatmate, hanging out and getting away from the city to seek God and find out what HE wanted to do in my life in 2009. This is what I heard: " I restore your soul" right out of psalm 23 baby! That was such a timely comforting word to hear, since the last 18months had been particularly challenging, followed by some circumstances where I felt particularly lonely, at times isolated, misunderstood and held back. This evening, as I was sitting in my family's jacuzi outside in the brisk Spokane air, I pondered as to what 2010 might hold and what He would like to do with my life. I began reminiscing about last year and the word for that season. And then I questioned what is this year about. My thoughts took me back to the word Restore. And then instantly one of the definitions for this word sprang to the forefront of my mind. To bring back to its original intent or purpose. After drying off from the hot tub, I went back to the computer and looked up the definition again. This is such a pregnant word-so full of meaning and limiltless possibilities.

See for yourself:

1. to bring back into existence,

2. to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition,

3. to bring back to a state of health, soundness, or vigor.

4. to put back to a former place, or to a former position, rank, etc.: to restore the king to his throne.

5. to give back; make return or restitution of (anything taken away or lost).

6. to reproduce or reconstruct (an ancient building, extinct animal, etc.) in the original state.

What follows is the result of my musings from tonight: We were made in the image of God. We bear His image. We have a divine nature in Christ. God is in the business of restoration-it is His heart to work and move in our lives in such a way that we are brought back to our original intent, purpose and image with which He created us for-no matter what we encountered that has tarnished us from that original intent, or experiences that have caused us to lose vision of that original intent. You see, I had lost vision. I had become disconnected from who He oringinally and intentionally made me to be beause of some extremely negative experiences I had from the last 18 months. 2009 marked the beginning of God initiating a process of restoration and healing from those past hurts and issues, and 2010 continues that work. But there is such a strong sense of this being a season where I walk in such a firm notion of the fullness of His original intent and purpose for my life, destiny. Greater freedom to be wholeheartedly, unashamedly myself. You see His original intent for us when he designed us was to be above only and not beneath, the head and not the tail, we were designed to occupy high position with Him and before Him. Why then, do we seek to lower ourselves or others through postures of unworthiness and define them as holy? Father's heart is to bring back to position-whether you've made poor decisions that have caused you to stumble, or whether you've been restrained by the action or inaction of others...God's heart is to bring you back to your original design-which is one of empowerment, health, soundness, and position.

Come back to who you really are in Him.

What a freeing and empowering invitation.