The Discovery of Purpose
Have you ever thought about what you were born to do? Or maybe you don’t think you were born for a specific purpose. You think you’re being here on planet earth, born into the family you were born into and built the way you were built (inside and out) is all by chance. But it isn’t.
Think about it. Everything in life, created by humans was created for a reason. A pencil, a handbag, a house, a school, a wristwatch…everything was made for a specific purpose. So why do you think God created you and formed you in your mother’s womb by chance? You weren’t created by chance. You were created for a reason.
First, let’s understand the meaning of purpose.
According to Oxford Languages — Purpose is “the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.”
Put simply, when I say you have a purpose, I mean you exist for a reason. There is a unique thing God has called you to do.
Does everyone have a purpose, including me?
Yes. Everyone has a specific purpose. It does not matter what stage you are in life right now, what your past has been like, or what you are struggling with at the moment. With God, there are no mistakes. Do not be discouraged by your failures, background, how you look, your environment or your bank account balance, or your disability. Understand and truly believe that you exist and were built for a purpose.
Is it just ONE thing I was created for?
First, do not let your human mind box what a big God can do. “One thing” could be leading a generation to better health and living habits. “One thing” could be raising a girl to be a world-class footballer. On the other end, it could be a number of things, that all add up to fulfill your purpose. Therefore, do not get caught up on the number but the cause.
Characteristics of purpose
Some characteristics of purpose to help you understand the concept better:
- Unique:
Your purpose is unique to you. As much as it may seem similar to someone else’s it was uniquely given to you based on other factors, and God designed it such that you can fulfill it based on your uniqueness which means it cannot be fulfilled by another person the exact same way.
2. Specific:
Your purpose isn’t broad and vague. Just like a company has a vision and mission statement for what they are trying to achieve, your purpose is specific. For example, it isn’t just writing songs, but could be writing songs that would inspire teenagers in Africa.
3. God-given:
Your purpose is God-given. The truth is, you did not create yourself, your parents did not create you. You were formed IN a womb. God formed you and before he formed you, he had a purpose in mind. You could attempt to find meaning in life from other people or things, but that would certainly amount to frustration because they are not your creator.
4. Fulfilling:
Your purpose brings fulfillment. A busy life cannot bring fulfillment. A big house, marriage, kids, more money, international degrees, and recognition, as good as these all are, cannot bring fulfillment in life. And if you have any of these, you would know. Walking in your purpose more than anything makes you feel fulfilled because that is what you were wired for.
How to discover your purpose.
But if I was created for a purpose, then what is it?
I can’t tell your purpose but I will let you in on a little secret. You know what your purpose is. That’s right! If it isn’t in your conscious memory, it is in your subconscious. To discover your purpose, try these:
- Think about your desires and passions.
Those are things you are truly deeply passionate about. Sometimes, others don’t even recognize them as a problem or something worth thinking about, but you do. Feel free to write them down. All of them.
- Think about your gifts and talents.
The bible tells us about the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14–30. When a master was going on a long journey, he gave ALL his servants talents. Talents in the story meant an amount of money, but I believe they could also mean intangible resources deposited in us. You have gifts that God has specifically deposited in you. These gifts/talents are things that come naturally to you even though others tend to struggle with them. Think about what they are and write them down as well. Don’t worry if they don’t seem like the traditional gifts that you are familiar with like singing, writing, or playing the piano, just write down what comes to mind.
- But to discover what your purpose really is, don’t focus too much on what it is.
Sounds like an oxymoron, but that’s right. Don’t go around thinking …is this my purpose, is this not my purpose. Rather, focus on “Who He is”. Focus on your intimacy with God. As you get more intimate with God, God reveals your purpose to you even more and you will see that it aligns with the first two points — what you are passionate about and what your gifts are.
As time passes, feel free to add or take away from the list, don’t put yourself under too much pressure to figure it out all in one sitting.
Final notes
Row and Pray!
Once you have a feeling or a broad understanding of what your purpose is, don’t wait for more clarity or more resources or ‘the right time” to start walking in it. Row and Pray! This is to say that imagine you are in a boat and instead of waiting in the middle of the sea for something else to happen or the right time, row your boat and pray. Repeatedly take small steps towards the direction you believe is right and keep praying about it, God will set you on the right path and provide you with the resource and helpers you need along the way.
Personally, I haven’t figured it out yet, but as advised, I too will row and pray.
