Devotionals

Purpose

Introduction

Have you ever wondered what God's plan is for your life? Some people seem to have their future all figured out while you can barely decide what you're going to eat for breakfast. Whether you're a teen trying to figure out which career path to take or a middle-aged adult who wants to fulfill his or her calling, it's never to late to fulfill your purpose. Keep reading to find out what your purpose is and how to live out God's will for your life. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it.

I want to start by taking a look at Jeremiah 29:11. Despite this verse being very popular and quoted all the time, it is worth mentioning when it comes to your purpose. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Before we can really go in depth to find out what your purpose is, we first need to understand that you have one. Everyone on this earth was created for some reason, and to be used by God in only a way they could be used. Now let's read Acts 9:11-15.
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"In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel."
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So what does this story have to do with purpose? Well, Ananias was just an ordinary guy that God used to accomplish an extraordinary task that didn't seem so extraordinary at the time. You see, Saul was not a fan of Christians at all. In fact, he hated them and actually took pleasure in hunting and torturing them. Everything changed, however, when God used Ananias to reach out to Saul. Later on, Saul becomes so filled with God's love that he decides to give his life to Jesus. This radical 180 degree life change goes one step further; Saul's name is now Paul. The guy that wrote much of the New Testament? Yeah, that's Paul.

While we may not have an incredible story like Paul, we can read about him knowing that God has a purpose for everyone even if we can't see it at the time. So how does this help you to find your purpose? Acts 20:24 says this: "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."

This verse was spoken by Paul, and I find it to be very compelling. Paul is so invested in God and the plans that God has for his life that he considers his life worth nothing to him unless he uses it to tell others about Jesus. Isn't that amazing? Don't you wish that you had that much passion for God that you'd consider your life worthless if you didn't tell people about Jesus every opportunity you were given?

While we each have specific purposes, we as Christ-followers also share the common purpose of telling others about Jesus and what He's done for us. Our individual purpose may tie into that or it may not, but either way, we need to share the gospel through our words and our actions. We may not change lives everyday like Paul did, but we can use biblical truths to encourage a friend who's having a tough time or to gently remind someone when they're going astray.

A few years ago, the youth leader at my church attended a youth leadership conference. One of the speakers was Andy Stanley, Senior Pastor at North Point Community Church who has written several books on leadership. He asked everyone two simple questions that would help them determine their purpose. The first question was who are you? While this seems like an easy question to answer, we need to really think about how we would answer this question.

Who are you? Think about that for a second; how would you respond? Once you have your answer, I want you to get rid of the following: any titles (Mrs., Mr., Dr., etc.) or words that describe you in relation to something else (mother, father, sister, brother, etc.). Once you have stripped away all of that, who are you? Instead of focusing on titles, focus on what makes you you. What are your strengths and weaknesses, the qualities that really shine when people see you?

Once you know who you are, ask yourself this: what breaks my heart? What are the things in this world that truly make your heart ache? While there may be plenty of things we wish we could fix, what really causes you to spring into action? Whatever it is, it's probably your passion and ultimately your purpose to fulfill whatever that problem is. For example, my passions are to lead worship for kids and to do missions work with kids as well.

We won't be able to solve every problem in the world, but we can definitely try to help people and change lives moment by moment in the process. Also, you may not figure out your purpose right away. If you've read this devotional and don't feel any closer to discovering what God wants you to do, don't feel discouraged. My youth pastor gave us a sermon on purpose but it wasn't until our lead pastor gave a similar sermon that I really thought about my purpose.

If you're unsure about your purpose, please feel free to message me. I am more than willing to talk with you and to help you in any way I can. Remember that knowing your purpose doesn't mean you have life all figured out. Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but life is still gonna be tough every now and then. Knowing your purpose, however, can give you the strength to get back up and try again. Thank you so much for reading; I hope this had helped you in some way. Have a great day!