Flag this message Born with a Purpose

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, and in case I don't see you, Good Night . . .

You have been born with a purpose—a unique one.

The tiny, yellow canary . . . what if she didn’t sing?  She wouldn’t live out her purpose. 

The little sailboat on the waters of the Pacific . . . if its sails were never used, would be no more than a rowboat with cloth and pole attached.

Eric Liddell, gold medal Olympic runner . . . took a stand for God by not running on Sunday.  “I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. 

 And when I run, I feel His pleasure.”  What if he hadn’t pursued his passion?

Young Billy Graham . . .if he had never dare to preach his first sermon about the God who loves us, and bids us ‘Come, just as we are. . .’  What if he hadn’t preached?

Sooner or later . . . the question comes,

                  ‘Why am I here?  What is my purpose?’  

For some, the questions come earlier than later—for instance, my Amy started asking at age seven, when I was tucking her in bed.  She has never stopped thinking deeply, that girl of mine . . .   ‘Mommy, can you tell me the meaning of life?  Can you tell me why I am here?’  Did I really have an answer for a child her age?  Probably, but not a good one.   I remember saying, ‘Oh, Amy, can’t we just play Barbies?’  And then I told her that her purpose was to love God.

Most people—men and women alike—hit midlife, and begin to think,  “Is this all there is . . . all I am ever going to be?  Am I missing something?”   If you are asking those questions, chances are that you are unsure of your purpose, and are perhaps in search of greater meaning in your life.  (please read yesterday’s “Serve … Who? How? Where?” before you continue)  Here’s a note from a reader: “I am really struggling with finding my purpose.  I feel kind of stuck in my job. I need it financially for my family but I know I was made by God to do something with more impact on the world.  I want to make God proud of me and I don't believe I am doing that now . . . I am praying that God will help me find my purpose and give me the courage to go after it when I see it. "   

Scripture promises that if we ask God for wisdom, he will give it to us--and keen insight comes from wisdom.  Without doubt, one of the greatest insights of my life has been the discovery of my God-given purpose.  That evolutionary discovery process spanned the better part of a decade, with regular leading by my patient Lord.  You see, as a believer desires to live out her God-given purpose, she needs to immerse herself in the things of God, not because she has to, but because it is the desire of her heart—a regular time in God’s Word, a growing prayer life, corporate worship, and involvement in a community of authentic believers.  Those are the basics—the non-negotiables for good-finding growth, and direction from the Lord.  Jesus said to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength,’ AND ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Mark 12.30) That translates to relationship with God, and serving others, out of love and devotion for God----all to glorify God.  [I love what the Westminster Catechism says, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever."  Ah, yes)

Does that mean serving just anywhere?  It might, at first.  The point is to surrender your will to God, and ask him to use you, and then when he leads you, follow him!  Your starting point will not likely be your endpoint, but you have to get your feet wet . . . so, start somewhere.  Look around you—where are needs going unmet?  Get off the bench, and get in the game!

The process of discovering and living out your God-given purpose might be pictured by a wide-mouth funnel--at the beginning, there are different serving opportunities, experiences and interests, and then as you are faithful in serving and seeking to fulfill God’s will, your serving becomes more and more focused.  And then, what is so incredible is that past experiences, (including difficult times, failings and trials), education, talents, spiritual gifts, and God’s leading, narrow the focus more until you are serving in your greatest area(s)  of gifting, fulfilling your God-given purpose.  Ahhh. . . as my surfer friends say, ‘It is rad!’  

And then, wonder of wonders--knowing your purpose produces JOY, and there is nothing like it in all of the world!   ‘You know how Eric Liddell felt when he said, ‘God made me fast. . . and when I run, I feel His pleasure’?  When I am teaching, I feel God’s pleasure. . . when I am writing about the things of God, I feel God’s pleasure. . .when I see the lights of a person’s soul come on, I feel God’s pleasure.  How about you?

Christine