“Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I chose you.
Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work…
Jeremiah 1:5 (New Century Version)
Determining our purpose in life can be one of the most perplexing questions humans try to answer. In this article, we will be exploring feelings and beliefs, and hope to gain insight into life, to help give it a meaningful direction!
There are three steps to the process of discovering the purpose of your life:
- Knowing you have a DIVINE ASSIGNMENT
Norman Vincent Peale has this to say about the power of choice. “The greatest power we have is the power of choice. It is an actual fact, that if you have been groping under unhappiness, you can choose to be joyous, instead. And, by effort, lift yourself into joy. If you tend to be fearful, you can overcome that misery by choosing to have courage. The whole trend and the quality of anyone’s life is determined by the choices that are made”.
Have you ever wondered what your purpose in life is? Do you sense dissatisfaction and sometimes wonder if life is meaningless. You may ask yourself if your perceived mundane existence is all there is. As you age, do you fear that you might never achieve that sense of a purposeful life? I hope you will consider my brief thoughts.
Knowing You Have A Divine Assignment
“KNOWING” you have a DIVINE assignment will remove fear. You may ask, “Can I be free from fear about the future?” That is an absolute, “YES!” Fear can be healthy as a defense mechanism of safety, but fear is not your friend when it concerns your purpose in life. If given full reign, fear can cause any person to miss his or her divine assignment. The truth is, we cannot overcome fear with human ability. We must pursue a Super Power!
Super Power? Isn’t that pure fantasy? The availability of our Super Power is no fantasy; however, it IS fantastic! The power comes from the source of our assignment, and it is all in knowing the Giver. I sure hope, reader, that you accept the biblical text, because it is the Bible that gives the answers we need.
Knowing WHO Assigned You
“Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work…” (Jeremiah 1:5 (New Century Version).
Just like Jeremiah, the Creator who made us in the womb gives a divine assignment to all! It is important that we know that God gave us all a special purpose. It is up to us to discern what special work WE are set apart to do! There are questions to ask yourself, for example:
- What breaks my heart?
As you watch the evening news, what brings you tears? Is it senseless violence, abused children, cruelty to animals, mental illness, senior abuse, injustice…the list goes on and on. The thing that grieves you is a clue to your assignment. Keep asking…what breaks my heart?
- What problem are you gifted to solve?
Examine the abilities that you already have.
Self-awareness is a necessity for discerning your assignment in life, but that is not all. All the discernment would be vain without KNOWING the One who calls. It was the Creator of life in the womb who called Jeremiah and is the same with us. This is where the DIVINE part comes in. God desires that we pursue His Presence – the Holy Spirit, who walks at our right hand.
Aligning Your life – by DISCOVERY, not DECISION
Becoming self-aware includes alignment with the Creator, for there is no understanding apart from Him. Begin journaling if you do not currently practice this. You will begin to see patterns develop. Make note of the insight you receive, and allow God to enlarge the concepts in your heart and mind. Do not expect to align your life immediately. It may take a while, but recognize that God is the one who assigns.
So many people believe that our purpose is discerned by the decisions we make. This places much pressure, especially upon those of us who pursue excellence. But once we realize that our assignment is a DISCOVERY, it shifts the perceived heavy load we have and the Holy Spirit enables us.
It gets BETTER! This discovery process is the most exciting experience of our lives! THIS PATH IS FILLED WITH DIVINE SURPRISES!! Discovering our assignment is like a treasure hunt which GUARANTEES rich rewards!!
Please do not delay your discovery. There is no risk with God. When we seek and expect His influence upon our hearts, He guides and empowers us along the way.
Fear does not belong on our journey – remember, fear is not our friend. Do not welcome this foe! You were put on this earth to achieve your greatest self – to discover your assignment – do it courageously!
Call to mind the words of Erin Hanson…
“There is freedom waiting for you,
On the breezes of the sky,
And you ask “What if I fall?”
Oh but my darling,
What if you fly?”
FULLY EMBRACE YOUR “QUESTIONING MOMENTS”
~ Minister Mc
EMBRACING OUR MOMENTS 