The Key to Your Purpose in Life
We all want to know our purpose: to know that reason we were created and put on this earth. We want to know how we contribute to this world and how we were specifically designed to further God's Kingdom. I've spent so much time thinking, praying and trying to figure out what is that sole purpose I was created for. After all, if God would just give me a heads up, I could get straight to work and not waste any of his precious time, right?
After graduating high school in Georgia, I thought I would move out to Colorado for bible college and immediately learn what my purpose is and get started right away. I quickly realized that's not how life works.
Rather than showing me the finished product of what he wants to do in my life, God began taking me through seasons of life where he developed certain skills in my giftings, traits in my character, and fruits of the spirit that had been lying dormant for far too long.
God knew that in order for me to be able to fulfill my purpose on this earth, I was going to need to be strong in his word, mature in Christ, comfortable in my skills, and solid in my character.
If God were to show us the whole picture of our lives at this point, we would either shrivel up in fear, terrified of our own futures, or we would get into the flesh, trying to make it all happen on our own. This life we live is a faith walk. Faith is believing even when you can't physically see it in the natural. After all, that's how we started this Christian life isn't it - completely putting our faith in God and not us? This wasn't meant just for conversion, but for every step of our lives after.
So how do we find our purpose in life? Are we supposed to just wander around aimlessly until we happen to stumble upon it?
The widow in 2 Kings was in a crisis. Her husband had died and the collectors were going to come take her son to be a slave in order to pay off her husband's debts. She goes to Elisha for help and this is his response:
“What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have [of value] in the house?” She said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a [small] jar of [olive] oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow containers from all your neighbors, empty containers—and not just a few. Then you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out [the oil you have] into all these containers, and you shall set aside each one when it is full.”
Elisha pointed this woman to what she already had - what was in her hand at the time. God has used this story so many times to continually point me in the right direction. Whenever I'm not sure what he wants me to do or what I'm supposed to do, he reminds me, "What's in your hand? What have I already given you? Do that."
The key to your purpose lies in the opportunities God's given to you now.
What is it that's in your hand? Perhaps it's school or your current job. Perhaps it's a blog or small business idea. Whatever it is, pour yourself into that and watch what God can make of it.
But what if your job isn't what you want to do in life? It doesn't matter! Like I said before, God is taking you through seasons of maturity where certain character traits and trust in him must be built in order for you to be able to fulfill your calling on this earth.
Whoever is faithful in the little (what's in your hand now) will be faithful with much (your purpose) but whoever is dishonest in little is also dishonest in much. (Luke 16:10) Steward what you have now as a gift from God so that you will mature into the calling that is destined for you.
“So she left him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing her the containers as she poured [the oil]. When the containers were all full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” And he said to her, “There is not a one left.” Then the oil stopped [multiplying]. Then she came and told the man of God. He said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”
The widow went and acted on what Elisha told her, having faith in God to provide what wasn't there in the natural. The oil she poured out multiplied until there were no more jars left. What jars has God given to you? He wants you to use them so that he can multiply the oil (or the blessings, provisions, vision) in your life. Find out what's in your hand and then go do it. Grow your roots deep into him so that when the time of bearing fruit comes, you'll be able to handle it all.
xxo,
Jess