Provision for your purpose
Do you often think you don’t have what it takes to fulfill your purpose? Perhaps you feel you are meant for something great but you also look at yourself and think You can’t do it? You say to yourself: “Someone else could, not me”.
This article is part of a series on purpose, so you may want to read Discovery of Purpose to learn more about “purpose” and start your journey to the discovery of what your purpose is.
If you are slightly confident about what your purpose is, if it is big enough, you may feel inadequate for the task at hand.
Feeling inadequate?
The feeling of inadequacy could arise due to various factors. It could be society/environmental factors — people from your community have not achieved something that great. It could be your age — you see yourself as too young or too old, or it is not just the right time to tackle that vision based on everything else you should be focused on, or what others in your age group are often focused on. It could also be your professional background — you think to yourself, “people with higher degrees or more professional experience have not ventured into something this huge, what makes me think that I can?”. Sometimes, it could also be your personal traits or characteristics — you see yourself as too shy to be a world-class speaker or not smart enough to be a teacher.
Any of these factors could be roadblocks or a stepping stone towards living out your vision and being fulfilled. You get to choose :-)
Whatever your reason for feeling like you are unable to move ahead with the vision God has placed in your heart, He is already aware of that when he placed those desires in you. Nothing comes to God by surprise.
Provision for your purpose
Provision for purpose in this context means you have what it takes to achieve your purpose, and where you may be lacking, there is an abundant supply which you can draw from.
The provision could be personality traits, you are born with certain gifts and characteristics that make you the right person for the goals God has placed in your heart. The provision could also be external- possessions you have acquired over time, your experiences (professional and personal), a supportive community, etc. that positions you for greatness.
For example, if you are worried about your age or the stage of your life being a hindrance, you may be older than your counterparts, but that means more life experience. Or you may be much younger, but that means agility and perhaps fewer family demands.
Therefore, do not get worked up about what you don’t have at the moment, or circumstances that seem to be against you but rather put on the “lense of provision” through which you see everything.
A snapshot from the bible for reference.
“Please, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? … The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
Judges 6:13&14
This does not take away the need for self-study and making efforts to improve in other to deliver your goal excellently well, but rather it supplements it. The first step is recognizing that you are specially created to accomplish the goal and then you may devote yourself to building yourself up with skills that enable you to achieve the goal excellently well.
Am I really enough?
Yes… and No.
Why Yes?
Because God knows You more than you know yourself. He formed you with all of your unique attributes. Although we can improve in areas we struggle with, all you need right now to begin is what you have.
Why No?
Because it is God who gives you victory. We ought to be careful with the “I am enough” mantra trending today. Yes, you have what it takes but that does not make you enough in and of yourself.
Being built for purpose is quite different from “Am I enough”? You can be made for something but you need others to succeed. For example, even though you are a skilled architect, you need a structural engineer and builders to set up a building. Hence, do not get caught up thinking about your self-sufficiency as an individual but think about applying your best individual contribution to the fulfillment of your purpose.
Take action
What ideas do you have in mind to accomplish? Consider it carefully, pray about it and take action. Don’t get caught up with what you have or don’t have. Start building by laying one brick at a time, and trust in God’s superabundant provision for the journey ahead.
