Have you ever wondered “What is my specific purpose on this earth?” Not just this season or this age or after retirement, but your overall purpose in life? That “One Thing” that you could do forever, and never get paid for. The “One Thing” where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet?
[tweetthis]“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” ― Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking[/tweetthis]
Yeah, me too. Since about 2009, to be exact.
In her pocket book Discovering God’s Purpose for Your Life, Beth Moore states that we can live with all sorts of trials and tribulations easier that we can live with purposelessness. I agree. The thought that at the end of my days, my life had no meaning, is heartbreaking. There has to be a reason and a purpose for all my ordinary days. There has to be more than an auto-pilot life: waking up, going to work, going to sleep at night. And then doing it all again tomorrow.
We can see from scripture a foundational purpose for each one of us:
[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]. Philippians 3:10-11 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.” Romans 9:17 NASB
God Himself tells us that our purpose as Christians on this earth is to know Christ and to proclaim His name. First, we must KNOW Him, and then we must TELL others about Him, and what He has done in our lives: how He loves us, and changes us into His image more and more each day. We need to tell our stories.
But I believe there is also a specific, God-given calling that He has prepared for each of us. That purpose is where our laser-like focus should be pointed.
“If you are to live out God’s purpose for your life, you must come to a place where you determine a focus to your life. God has designed an excellence, a single purpose for you and me.” Beth Moore, Discovering God’s Purpose for Your Life.
“There is nothing quite as potent as a focused life. One lived on purpose…You become effective by becoming selective.” Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life.
“The fact that you’re standing here today with breath in your lungs testifies that God has a plan and purpose for you on this earth. Jesus wants you to live with bold confidence in His promises and humble dependence on His voice. He plans to transform you into a woman of purpose and lead you to places you could never otherwise go apart from Him.” Susie Larson, Your Beautiful Purpose.
Have you found your focus? Your One Thing? Or, like me, are you still unsure? I think I may know, but I’m not 100% positive.
I recently re-read Katie Brazelton’s book Praying for Purpose. In it, she walks you through some questions to help you determine your purpose and your focus in life. It was a wonderful prayer process, that revealed several things to me.
What struck me most was this: There are pitfalls that can potentially block my life purpose. I invite you to walk with me this month, as we dig deep into what circumstances or conditions may hinder us from knowing what our God-given purpose and focus should be.
And while we are taking this journey, let’s keep this upper most in our minds: The most important thing is KNOWING CHRIST.
“Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere refuse, so that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8 GNT
Grace be with you,
Ellen, I love this. Yes, our greatest purpose is to know Him more. I watched a video clip on FB that explained it as the “What” and the “Why”. The why is our great purpose of knowing Him – WHY we do what we do each day. The what is how we go about doing that – WHAT we do to bring others closer to Him and make Him known through all the world. That really stuck with me! Our WHY never changes, but our WHAT can vary according to a time or season in our lives. I have a tendency to focus on the what, when I really need to focus on the why:)
Such truth here Kristine! Like you, I focus on the What, pushing the Why aside! I love that our Why never changes! Thanks for visiting!