In Pursuit of Purpose

There is something about being circumspect that makes us start asking questions. Am I where God wants me to be? Am I doing what He wants me to do? And eventually we get to the big one:

Am I walking in my purpose?

Purpose can be exciting, terrifying, and downright confusing. We know God created us for a reason, but sometimes we expect Him to hand us a detailed blueprint explaining exactly where we're going, how we're getting there, and preferably how everything is going to turn out.

Yeah...God doesn't usually do that. We want the destination before we're willing to take the first step. But look at Abraham. God told him to leave his country and go "unto a land that I will shew thee" (Genesis 12:1 KJV). No address. No itinerary. No five-year forecast. Essentially: Start walking. I'll show you. And Abraham went.

That's important because purpose is rarely discovered all at once. It unfolds one obedient and faithful step at a time. David was anointed king, but he didn't go directly from the pasture to the throne. There were sheep, Goliath, Saul, battles and caves in between. Those seasons weren't interruptions to his purpose. They were part of his preparation. Sometimes the thing you're doing right now isn't the final assignment. It also doesn't make it meaningless.

There are skills, relationships, jobs, failures and experiences that make absolutely no sense until years later when you suddenly realize, Oh. That's why I needed to learn that. Purpose often makes more sense looking backward than it does looking forward. And here's something else: don't confuse purpose with position. Your job can change. Your title can change. Your season can change while the underlying thread remains. Maybe you teach children today and train employees tomorrow. Maybe later you mentor someone or write a book. The expression changes, but when you look underneath it, you may discover you've been teaching all along. So instead of only asking, What is my purpose?, try asking:

What is the consistent thread running through my life?

Jeremiah's calling gives us another clue. Before Jeremiah understood anything about his future, God told him, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee..." (Jeremiah 1:5 KJV). Jeremiah hadn't yet discovered his abilities or encountered the obstacles ahead, but God already knew what He had placed in him. Jeremiah immediately responded with an excuse. Sound familiar? Too young. Too old. Not enough education. Not enough money. Not experienced enough. 

Purpose isn't dependent upon us feeling qualified. Romans 12:6 (KJV) says Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith. You already have something in your hands. And according to 1 Peter 4:10, those gifts aren't merely for us. We are supposed to use them to serve others. That's where purpose begins to move beyond self-discovery and become stewardship.

So this week, write down three things:

Your gifts. Your passions. The needs around you.

Then look for the overlap. Don't immediately ask, Is this my life's purpose?

Ask:

Is there a faithful next step I can take?

Send the application. Write the page. Take the class. Make the call. Volunteer. Have the conversation. You don't need step twenty-seven today. You need the next one. Because sometimes the clarity we've been waiting for is waiting for us somewhere along the road.

~ Selah