Derek Balsdon writes: This book encourages us know who God created us to be, and to live according to His plan, purpose and design for our lives. Through discovering our significance in Christ, and can then live with His favour upon our lives and ministries.
During the autumn of 2022 the Stoke-On-Trent Healing Rooms @ Costa Coffee team did the Born For Significance course. Each week, after a time of worship we watched online teaching, which was followed by group discussion, activation and prayer. Several of us also read the book and used the study guide. What I write here is only a snapshot of this excellent course.
Born for Significance encourages us know who God created us to be, and to live according to His plan, purpose and design for our lives. It is not advocating a false doctrine of health, wealth and prosperity, yet does declare God’s desire to bless us abundantly. Through discovering our insignificance, we can then discover our significance under God, and live with His favour upon our lives and ministries. Our significance comes from our relationship with God and through our identity in Christ, not through what we do, nor from praise from others. Bill writes about promotion being on God’s heart for each of His children, and through seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness, abundant blessing will be given to us as well (Matthew 6:33). To live lives of significance requires our total surrender to God day by day. God promotes ordinary people into world changers. In Old Testament times, when He wanted a good leader, He looked for a good follower, and chose David, a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). Our hearts need to be in tune with God, and we are to follow Him in humility and with faithfulness, loyalty and trust.
God has placed good desires within our hearts, but the fear of getting those desires wrong paralyses many Christians. Those desires of our hearts need to be released, and faithfully and fruitfully used for the glory of God. Bill believes that we should not be critical or jealous of those who have stewarded God’s favour well. As we honour others, even those who are critical of us, God blesses us with greater favour. Learning to handle disappointment, loss, rejection, criticism and betrayal well, creates hearts that can also handle favour and promotions well, always giving glory to God. In Acts, when the church faced hurdles, they overcame them and progressed. God’s royal priesthood is made up of people who use their place of favour before God to assist other people. Paul had discovered that whether in need or in abundance, he could do everything through God who gave him strength.
Born for Significance is rooted in God’s Word, especially Proverbs, and is thought provoking, challenging and very helpful. One of the activations that I found particularly beneficial was to make a list of five to ten promises that I have received from God in the past, (these promises could be Bible verses and/or prophetic words and pictures), and then to pray those promises into fruition, declaring them over myself and telling the Lord that I trust Him to fulfil them. When I feel discouraged, I can go back to the list, and remind myself of God’s truths for me, and to thank God in advance for fulfilling them. You may find it helpful to use that activation to help you fulfil your significance as a child of God.
Derek Balsdon
Team member at the Stoke-on-Trent HR at Costa and the National Prayer Line.