The Metamorphyx Journey: Part I
The Metamorphyx Journey—Part 1
Pursuing the Pathway to Life Purpose
“The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless,’” (Eccles: 2:1).
Really?
Do you recognize this verse from Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes? His father was the great King David of Goliath fame . . . and Bathsheba shame. I can imagine that David rolled over a few times in his grave upon hearing his son’s proclamation. Solomon pursued inner peace and purpose through wine, wealth and women (he had several hundred wives!). But King Solomon—the richest and wisest man on earth—ultimately concluded that life purpose and fulfillment could never be found in things of this world.
Here’s another perspective on life purpose from Dane Ortlund, author of the popular Gentle and Lowly. “What’s the telos, the aim, the macro reason and good, for our small, ordinary lives? We are on solid footing, both biblically and historically, if we answer: ‘To glorify God.’”
Hmmm . . . ponder the opposing life purpose implications of “Utterly meaningless!” and “To glorify God.” Both propositions that have rankled mankind since time began. How is your life purpose positioned?
There are many good answers to that question in the Bible, but let me point to one of my favorites. It’s captured in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship [nothing short of his divine artwork] . . . created in Christ Jesus [whose image we carry] . . . to do good works [pursuits and work that honor him] . . . which God prepared in advance [his sovereign plan pre-existed us] . . . so that we may walk in them [those distinctive works and the pathway to accomplish them is what we were made for!].”
Here’s another way to think about Ephesians 2:10. We are God’s masterpiece, beautiful in design, and created to draw attention to our Maker-Artist. Our lives should be pointed at something . . . and discovering through prayer and contemplation what that something is . . . then, pursuing that something which will give our life significance and purpose . . . all the time functioning under God’s grace and power like a well-tuned engine running on high octane gasoline; not one sputtering on vegetable oil.
Metamorphyx: Embracing Life Experience, Life Change, and Life Purpose is a true-life narrative about the life purpose discovery process. The book (and The Metamorphyx Study Guide), takes the reader on the Metamorphyx Journey—the crazy ups and downs, mis-steps, disappointments, great victories, and switchbacks that one may encounter on their personal Metamorphyx Journey. Perhaps you’ve read Metamorphyx—and are one of many readers who have asked, “Can you give me a high-level thinking tool for the Metamorphyx Journey . . . a simple overview that highlights the process, pathway, and the biblical principles that govern the journey?” Here’s what I’ve fashioned, with some initial thoughts below.
Over the next several weeks, I invite you to tune-in to this blog series as I unpack the critical elements of The Metamorphyx Journey. I plan to “deconstruct” the graphic, one section at a time, to reveal its biblical foundation and human heartbeat. My aim is to make the schematic come alive in a way that engages you . . . so that you can more effectively engage with the God of the Universe on your life purpose pathway.
Here are four high-level points to begin the series. Use the BOLD headings below to begin navigating through the schematic.
1. Avoid any attempt to make The Metamorphyx Journey a calculated or mindless set of steps or events that must be experienced (or executed) in a linear or sequential order. View the schematic as a holistic pursuit and permit it challenge your thinking.
2. Appreciate that the journey from Life Experience to Life Change and to Life Purpose—ultimately Living for God’s Glory—is a highly interactive and dynamic process that involves a boatload of Life Purpose Contemplation. That’s a topic for Part II in this series, but for now, we should not assume that there is an easy or one-time “leap” to God’s Call and a resilient Life Purpose.
3. Understand that when you commit to The Metamorphyx Journey, your pathway to Life Purpose fulfillment will always be governed by the refining processes that God is using to chisel and shape your life for his purposes. Never discount the truth and reality that God ordains your circumstances on the pathway of life, injects a variety of directional Pivot Points on the journey, guides you through the power of the Holy Spirit (“Speak Lord!”) onto pathways you never imagined you would travel . . . and empowers fundamental Life Change.
4. Finally, take note that the large blue-black arrows surrounding the perimeter of the graphic signify an “iterative process.” That means, you will undoubtedly visit sites within the model more than once over your lifetime. The Metamorphyx Journey represents God’s sovereign work in our lives—never a one-and-done soccer shot on goal.
These initial points clearly illustrate that a fulfilling and resilient Life Purpose is governed by God-ordained processes, events, and circumstances that illuminate our stepping-stones in life . . . our personal pathway to Living for God’s Glory.
Tune in to the next post in this series where we will explore the biblical mandate for Life Change . . . and why the entire Metamorphyx Journey is wrapped around that premise. Email me with your questions or comments as well; I’ll attempt to answer them in subsequent posts or off-line, as necessary.
On the pathway . . . in the process,
Tom
“My sheep listen to my voice: I know them, and they follow me,” (John 10:27)
Metamorphyx: Embracing Life Experience, Life Change, and Life Purpose and The Metamorphyx Study Guide can be found on Amazon, B&N and Apple iTunes in print and e-formats.