3MN: Understand how pain and failure fuel your success.
Happy 3-Minute Thursday!
Your breakthrough is only 3 minutes away!
💬 In the next 3 minutes:
- You're more like a pumpkin than you think.
- God doesn't waste your hurt.
- Greater purpose often emerges from our deepest struggles.
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🎃 Minute 1 - You are just like a pumpkin.
Lately, my mind's been steeped in thoughts about purpose, and it's no surprise considering I just released a book on the topic. But let me shift gears for a moment and ponder something entirely different – pumpkins. Those sizable, orange gourds are popping up in the most unexpected places, from lattes to Tostito chips, among other strange items.
Today, let's delve into a mash-up, a real monster mash-up, if you will, of the monstrosities many of us are grappling with these days – pumpkins and the disheartening question, "What's the point?"
This phrase often resounds in the hearts of many, echoing through their marriages, finances, and even their spiritual connection with the church. They question, "What's the purpose? I just can't seem to find it. I'm weary. Why bother striving? Why put in the effort to do what's right?"
In various roles – be it as a business owner, spouse, parent, or provider – you may feel as though you're coming up short. But in those moments when it feels like the devil is unyielding, remember that sometimes God's preparation comes wrapped in pain.
In fact, it's not the pain itself that we despise; it's the pain without a purpose.
Consider this: Have you ever run a marathon? It's an endeavor many might call crazy – paying for hours of pain. But why do it? Because we recognize the satisfaction that comes from crossing the finish line. Sobriety withdrawal is a necessary step on the path to recovery. For all the ladies who've experienced childbirth, enduring the pain just before holding your little one, you understand precisely what I'm talking about.
We can endure suffering when we understand its meaning, its "why." Picture yourself as a pumpkin, filled with seeds and muck, intermingled with hope and the promise of new possibilities, along with a bit of baggage and old stories. You're like a pumpkin, quaking with fear as you're carved, all while yearning to shine brightly.
You're not just a pumpkin, but a pumpkin in the hands of a skilled carver.
💩 Minute 2 - God doesn't waste a hurt.
God doesn't waste a hurt. Every ounce of your life, the pain, failure, hurt, and fear included, are in the hands of a master carver. This idea reminds me of something writer Frank Peretti once said,
“God does not waste an ounce of our pain or a drop of our tears; suffering doesn't come our way for no reason, and He seems efficient at using what we endure to mold character. If we are malleable, He takes our bumps and bruises and shapes them into something beautiful.”― Frank Peretti, The Wounded Spirit
👫 Minute 3 - Greater purpose often emerges from our deepest struggles.
It's natural to question what the future holds. Many of you may have faced job loss, hopelessness, and overwhelming fear. You understand pain and it's terrible grip. I've come to find that greater purpose often emerges from our deepest struggles.
Reframing perspective through purpose rather than pain could possibly lead to:
- I renewed relationship with your kids.
- Your marriage, though strained, emerging stronger and healthier as you address long-standing issues.
- New ministries or business opportunities, born from what seemed like failure.
- A wake-up call that shakes you from spiritual complacency, leading to a deeper connection with the God.
Though it's undeniably difficult, there's a reason for this season. You are a pumpkin in the hands of the master carver; search for the purpose, trust in His faithfulness, and believe that something beautiful will emerge from these trials.
Activity: go buy a pumpkin and gut it.
VERSE OF THE WEEK 🔥
A W K T I A T G W F T G O T W L H, W H B C A T H P.
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. - Romans 8:28
Until next week,
Payton Minzenmayer
Etcetera
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"A Story on Purpose has many memorable one-liners and relatable characters. I couldn’t put it down!" - Thanks to everyone who reviewed my newest book.