Purpose

Finding your purpose. What a mission! My word, I know I haven’t found mine yet. Well, in all fairness, I think I’m living it, or a part of it, even though I don’t know what it is. Because I have 5 kids and they are my first, and most important, purpose. Raising them right, raising them to know God, raising them to be healthy, self-sufficient, positive, independent contributors to society, who embraces love and understanding and patience, for themselves and for others. I am quite tired at the end of most days – and then all I did was teach and guide and preach and discipline and course-correct.

But is that my only purpose?

I honestly don’t know. I don’t think so, I think that something is waiting for me and I am biding my time, waiting for my time, and hopefully spending it in preparation for my time.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Do what you find to do. And do it with thy might – give it your all! Because 1 Corinthians 10:31 says: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God”.

I believe that we should give our lives to God for Him to lead us into whatsoever it is that He wants us to do and then we wait. In the meantime, while you’re waiting, do something. God will provide, don’t you mind that. If God takes you to a place where you are not doing anything that can generate an income, He will still provide for you. He took Elijah away to a remote spot in the desert, and took care of him there (1 Kings 17). I am qualified and specialized in my career, and I have been unable to find work for almost 7 years. God has provided all that time – and you won’t believe just how! I got a job last year, purely by chance, I wasn’t even looking for it. And not even in my field…

I haven’t been just sitting during those 7 years, or even now, I’ve been trying this and that, of all my tryings only 1 thing worked fairly well and that was stopped, too. I don’t know if this job is THE job, or if there is something else. I know it is the job I need to do now. Whatever comes next, will come.

Also, I don’t believe we only have 1 purpose. I think we may have many. I think that God uses you in the various stages of your life in ways you wouldn’t even know about. I also think that the more you make yourself available to Him, the more He will use you. And you won’t even be aware of Him using you. But you have to give Him permission. You have to do it mindfully – it’s a very specific choice that you need to make and you have to be committed to it. And you have to do it verbally, even if you whisper it, but you have to say it. The spoken word carries so much power – Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. – and that’s why you need to say it.

And in times of doubt – reaffirm it, verbally, recommitting yourself to God and to His purpose for your life.

And then you wait.

Do whatever you find to do while you’re waiting – God will use the most interesting means of training you and preparing you for what He has in store for you. Be aware and heed the nudges.

(PS: I am NOT advising you to quit your job! If you have a job, do it, but give it to God and if He wants to give you something else, He will. I am saying, don’t be scared. If God takes your job away, He will also provide. But you can’t resign to sit and watch TV and say it’s God’s will and expect Him to just give… He also gave you a brain – use it.)

May your year be filled with all the goodness and life and love and blessings and purpose that God has planned for you!

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.