Do You Know Your Purpose? Part Two and a Giveaway!
In my last post, we talked about the question, Do You Know Your Purpose? You can read about it in Part One. At the end of that post, I asked the question, Do you know your purpose? That question is easy to skim over. But I encourage you to give it some thought.
Here’s why.
Knowing your purpose can influence everything you do in life.
Do You Know Your Purpose? Part Two and a Giveaway! #hope #joy #writingcommunity Click To TweetNot only can it influence everything you do in life, I believe it should. I wish I had spent the energy needed to understand my purpose in life before I actually did.
The year—2011. The setting—executive team meeting for the City of Charlotte’s Engineering Department. The team included the City Engineer and two deputies. I was one of the deputies. The question—Where do you want to be in 3 – 5 years?
My answer, “I don’t know.”
I’d been with the Engineering Department since 1997. Now, 24 years later, I found myself disengaged. I had lost my drive for the work. As I would tell a group of staff in December 2012, one year after going through the process I am getting ready to describe, “I needed couch time with somebody.”
The “couch time” with my coach forced me to reflect. I had to read, meet with my coach, read more, take tests, read even more, meet with my co-worker accountability group, read… you get the idea. Each of those activities provided a framework for exposing deep things about myself. Things like wants, needs, fears, emotions, and goals.
I’ll cut to the chase. After twelve months that involved reading six books, nine months of coaching, and lots of time in prayer, I re-engaged back into my work. No doubt, I continued performing my job the year I worked through finding my purpose, but by the end of the year, I was more productive, energized, and satisfied—until 2016. More on that in a moment.
For me, my purpose statement boiled down to:
I will honor God by loving Him and serving others.
You may think that is a pretty generic purpose statement. What is so special about that? God asks us all to love Him and serve others. Check. You may even want to tap out at this point.
Don’t leave until you read the rest of this post.
Here’s what made it special. I weighed the desire to serve God and others against everything else in my life. I listed ten to twenty “wants” in life categories such as spiritual, physical, health, recreational, financial, material, family, vocational, and intellectual. I then used the elimination process described in The On-Purpose Person by Kevin W. McCarthy to hone in on my purpose.
Jesus tells us in John 10:10,
“I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.” (NASB).
I want you to finish reading this post because I want you to have the abundant life Jesus has planned for you. If you are like me, it is easy to say Jesus is number one in your life. But it is also easy to allow all of our many wants in those other life categories to take over that number one slot. Believe me, I’ve done it and still do. Those other wants become our purpose.
Please comment on this post and simply let me know if you’ve gone through a process to determine your purpose. If you comment, and are a subscriber to my blog, you will be entered into a drawing to receive a copy of Kevin McCarthy’s book, The On-Purpose Person. It is a fun read and his book encouraged me to be intentional in my purpose. I will draw a name on July 5 and announce the winner on the July 7 blog post. You can subscribe to my blog, Encouraging Others Through Words of Hope, on this page.
Today’s feature photo comes from a “photo-a-day” challenge I pursued several years ago. The photo inspires the topic. For me, the posts challenge my creativity, writing discipline, and dependence on God for His message. My prayer is that you find hope in God’s Word, and that you’ll share your hope with others.
At times I feel I know my purpose. But self reflection is tough for me and I question if I am doing the thing God has designed me to do often.
I’m right there with you Matthew. Some things like the general will of God clearly laid out in the Bible seem easy to know. Determining God’s specific will for my life, so that I’m doing what He wants today, is tougher. Though I don’t do it right very often, I just have to have faith that if I keep following Him, He will direct my path. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Tim,
I loved thinking about this post, because it is such a major choice for all of us. I seem to be falling into a purpose unintentionally. Although I retired from nursing many years ago, it seems being a caregiver for every age group, children to the elderly, becomes my role on most days. My dream goal is to write, but I do find the caregiver role fulfilling. Long-term, it can be draining, and I tend to have to take days off to restore my soul. I use Sunday’s for that and have found if that day is taken away from me, I’m not worth much for anyone on Monday:) God’s purpose and God’s answer for rest as you live it out, go hand in hand, I think.
Good for you Jane! Yes, I believe if you are fulfilling God’s purpose for you, your work will be more fulfilling for you. You are an example of that. Thank you!
Happy Friday my Brother Tim,
I’ve really enjoyed these last two posts as they have resonated deeply with me. The posts have reminded me of an exercise I’ve frequently used when leading someone/group through what Scripture teaches us about discerning GOD’s will (general, particular, and specific) for our lives. I’ll spare you the details of the exercise, but basically it illustrates the ubiquitous disconnect between what we – those who have confessed Christ as Savior and Lord – claim to be the priorities in our life, and what our actions/allocation of time actually betray. Invariably, people are always surprised by how very much their allocation of time betrays the true priorities in our life. The point of the exercise is to make them aware of the fact that unless we – those who have confessed Christ as Savior and Lord – diligently strive – as Paul exhorted the believers in Philippi (cf., Ph. 2:1-13) – to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Ph. 2:12), that we will never be able to truly discern GOD’s will (particular and specific) for our lives, for it is ONLY through our faithful obedience to GOD through which HE promises (over and over in Scripture) to bless us with His approval, and then show His favor towards us by revealing more of His will (particular and specific) for our lives (sorry – that’s a long sentence!). The perfect study for apprehending the salvific–economy of the obey–approve–favor unfolding of GOD’s will (particular and specific) for our lives is Abraham (Genesis chapters 12-24). If you have never immersed yourself in studying the biblical principles of calling embedded there, delay no longer!
Now, lest you think me super–spiritual, by NO STRETCH of any imagination do I even remotely think for a second I have it figured out; let me be clear, I DO NOT! In this I am very much like Paul – not practicing the things I want to do but instead doing the very things I do not want to do (cf. Ro. 7:14-25) ~ I despise this aspect of my life! But I do know this: every time I study the call of Abraham and the obey–approve–favor unfolding of GOD’s will (particular and specific) for Abraham’s life, GOD is faithful to give me more–and–more insight into understanding HIS salvific–process as well as the obey–approve–favor unfolding of His will (particular and specific) for my life, confident that as I continually participate in the Gospel (it is so very much more than one-and-done), that He who began a good work in me will complete it in the day of Jesus Christ (Ph. 1:5-6). By-the-way, this strikes me a little funny, because it is invariably the very process He calls us to, by which He gives me more understanding . . .
Thank you Guy! I love reading your responses and the Scripture you attach to your answers. I need to sit at your feet more often friend. I am going to review Genesis as you suggest. I know there is a goldmine in the example of God said, “Go.” And Abraham went. Can’t wait to visit in the near future.
Tim, you are WAY TOO gracious with your comment – trust me, my feet stink (metaphorically speaking). By the way, I neglected to include the Scripture passages supporting my comment about the Gospel not being just a one-and-done encounter, but an integral component of the process of sanctification. Check out what Paul told the believer’s in Corinth about the Gospel by which they ARE BEING saved (1Co. 15:1-2) as well as his exhortation to the Believers in Galatia (Ga. 5:1-15, especially as it relates to Jesus’ words: “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Lk. 9:23)). We too are very much looking forward to your forthcoming visit my Brother.
Perfect! Thank you.
If I had been asked the Question just 2 years ago…where do you want to be in 3-5 years? I would of also answered “I don’t know”. Just 2 years ago I had a very different life. I had a stressful job that God never intended me to have. I could not see a future purpose for my life as it was just back in 2019. BUT GOD! fast forward 2 years to today. I know my calling, my purpose, and have goals for what God has called me to do. I am willing to let God lead the way in His timing. I just take it one step at a time. Some of these steps are lumped together and some are meant to stand alone but they all lead to the final result….Serving Jesus!
Awesome Teresa! I am so glad to hear about your turnaround. From something God didn’t want for you to letting him lead the way! You are so encouraging. Thank you.
Hey Daddy,
I enjoyed last weeks post and this one as well. I often wonder about my purpose, and question if I am doing what God intends for me to do, as well as doing it to the best of my ability. Most days I think the answer is yes. I admit I am easily distracted by other wants and often have to weed through them to see if I should put my energies there. It seems though that no matter which way I turn in life, I find myself in a position of serving others by way of being an advocate. I think that is my calling, no matter how it is specifically fulfilled. I pray often that God will reveal opportunities, or gently close doors so help keep me walking in my purpose. I am so glad you are living yours – it is evident in the work you produce. Love you.
Thank you so much for your comment Beth. I appreciate your comment about me, but just like many of us, the “highlights” probably look better than the full story. Sometimes you’d think my sole purpose was to make sure I was present, in the room, when my TV dies. It’s like I don’t want to leave it alone for a minute. I don’t throw stuff like that out for the world. Good thing it’s just you and me talking 🙂 I love seeing you live out your calling to advocate for others. I also pray you continue to be attentive to God’s nudging in your life. And I love you, too.
Tim
I find that when I start to do something if it’s not God’s Will then things go terribly wrong. If I’m following God’s Will things go smoothly. So we pray about things that come up and seek God’s Will and he guides us.
You are right about that. If we are doing what He wants for us, he often prepares the way, walks with us, and helps overcome obstacles. Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” Thank you for your thoughts on this.
Many years ago, as we were parents to two teenagers, I thought my goal was to serve God through helping teens during those critical years and show them how to love God and one another. Then as I got older and my children left home, I thought I was to serve through teaching Adult Sunday School and Women’s Ministry. Now in my senior years I’m still searching. I find as I seek God he shows me a new path each day, so I guess the only goal I have right now is to seek Him first. Thanks, Tim, for helping me to realize what I need to do.
Thank you Gayle. You make a great point. Our purpose and how we live it out may change with our age and circumstances. There could be times when a season of life puts us in the situation where we need to focus on getting out of bed and getting dressed. No more for the time being. And I believe if we find ourselves in a time such as that, God will provide others to have the purpose of praying for us. You are wise to sense your calling change with your season of life.
I don’t think long-term. I used to, and typically got it wrong. HA! I just ask God every day what He wants me to do. One day at a time? Sometimes, it’s just the next minute. Always asking – “What’s the next right thing?” Prayers that everyone does what God wants them to do. And so thankful God created us to be unique, and helps us to be what He wants.
Thank you Joni. You are so right. I also like the “one day at a time.” Trusting Him for the next step!