Discovering your purpose
Who doesn’t want to know, with absolute certainty, what their purpose in life is? When it is all said and done, I think all of us want to know our lives were lived on purpose, having fully reached our potential, as we step into glory after our last breath. Here are five practical steps to discover your purpose in life today.
1. Get to know your Creator really, really well
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
– Matthew 6:33
It all begins with studying scripture. If humanity could grab onto these passages, how much different the world would be. God created us for love, because He is love and we’re made in His image. Anyone who is accomplishing this in life – moment by moment is living a life of success and purpose. At least God thinks you’re on the right track. The world might not?
Who are we here to please? Who do we want to live a life of purpose for? What does it look like to take up our cross for Christ?
Leanord Ravenhill’s famous quote and tombstone read, “Are the things you’re living for, worth Christ dying for?”
‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. “And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:30-31 NKJV
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. – Mark 8:34-35 NKJV
2. Get to know yourself too
Who are you? What skills, talents, and gifts has God placed inside of you? What are your passions and interests? Getting to know ourselves is a life-long journey. What things did you grow up doing? What dreams are in your heart? How has God wired you? There’s a unique purpose and role for you to play in the world that only YOU can accomplish. Nobody else can do what you do like you would do it. Nobody. A world that wants to “cookie cutter” and “homogenize” everything fails the individual. God’s far more creative in the way He created each of us. Talk to Him about how you could spend your life best for Him. Chances are it’s in the gifts and talents He’s already revealed to you.
Chances are, your purpose is on the other side of some fears. The evil one works diligently to keep us from our purposes, developing walls of fear around the very thing we were destined for. What fears might the Lord want you to face today?
You’re an overcomer, more than a conqueror and have not been given a spirit of fear. Face the fear and become all God made you for!
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
“I write to you, dear children because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” – 1 John 2:14 NIV
“…for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” – 1 John 5:4 NIV
3. Get a life coach or mentor
Something that’s growing in popularity is the idea of a “life coach.” Speaking from experience, life coaches are terrific! Having an individual to walk through life with, develops accountability, new perspective and challenges us to reach for more than we might think possible.
There are all kinds of ways to find a life coach these days. There are even programs and ways to connect with life coaches online. Find someone whom you trust, maybe a recommendation from a friend or referral of some sort? Choose carefully, as this individual will become influential in the intimate areas of your life. Make sure you respect them and the life they lead.
4. Discover your values
What are your values? When working with my coach, he had me look through a pile of words that were on individual flash cards. He asked me to pick out the words that resonated with me. After I had a pile of words, it was my job to find ten that I wanted to keep. Ultimately, he wanted me to keep five to eight words and get rid of the others. It’s okay to change the words as life moves forward, but right now, right here determine the values that are most important to you.
Understanding what we as individuals value will serve us tremendously throughout life. It will help us identify work that will be fulfilling, people we should develop a relationship with and give us a better idea of what we need to say, “Yes” and “No” to.
Then we can discover our passions, create mission and vision statements for our lives. Which leads me to the fifth point and final point.
5. Create a personal mission and vision statement
Have you ever thought about having your own personal mission and vision statement?
A “mission statement” serves to help discover “why you exist.”
A “vision statement” serves to help discover “your future desired outcome.” In other words, what do you want to see happen that currently is not a reality? Then begin working to that end.
Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
– Psalm 37:4
Who you are and who you will be is an ever-evolving reality. However, it’s possible to better understand how God made you and go after all that He’s placed in your heart today. Having some of these tools in place will serve as guides to keep you on track. You’re great! There’s greatness in you! Go after it with all your mind soul and strength – then magnify the Lord in it!
