How do you find your purpose? Many of us are asking this question. We’ve moved from job to job or season to season, and we wonder what God wants for us. Something inside us is restless. Have we missed our purpose? Doesn’t purpose make you happy?
Some of us find ourselves in a season of change where we feel a little lost. Relocation, illness, family responsibilities (whether taking care of aging parents or new born babies) can leave us wondering what our purpose is. The season may be difficult. It may be lonely, and it may not feel like we’re good at it. Isn’t purpose something we’re good at?
Struggle When Purpose is Hard
I struggled with the questions of purpose as a stay-at-home mom. Sleep deprived and knee deep in baby bottles and dirty diapers, I learned something very important. Though I was blessed, being a new mom was hard! When loneliness and self-pity were knocking at my door, I started desperately digging into the Bible. That’s when I found Psalm 37.
Psalm 37:3-4 became my life scripture.
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37: 3-4
Four Secrets to Finding Purpose
This scripture gives four secrets to finding purpose:
- Trust in the Lord.
- Do good.
- Live where you are.
- Fall in love with Jesus.
I’ve needed to employ this wisdom in every season of my life. I’ve needed to trust God had a purpose for everywhere we lived. I learned to intentionally do good. That meant my eyes and ears needed to be open to those in need, and I needed to be generous with my time.
When we first moved to North Carolina, I had tons of free time. Too much time. I was jobless, friendless, churchless, and bored. Yet when opportunities to volunteer at my kids’ school arrived, I feared losing my free time. The irony is comical. Or pitiful. But true.
One day I volunteered at a luncheon for the teachers. It wasn’t earth changing. Nobody got saved. But I got to do something for other people. It felt good to put chairs away and walk up and down stairs fifty times carrying empty dishes. I enjoyed meeting other parents and visiting with teachers who had made a difference in my kids’ lives. It felt good to do good.
Live Where You Are on Purpose
Along with doing good, the psalmist gives the instruction to “dwell in the land.” Another way to translate this wisdom is to “settle” in the land. In other words, we need to grow roots wherever God has planted us. We need to do more than hang pictures, we need to get involved in our community and church–really live where we are. Sometimes we miss our purpose because we don’t get involved because we are waiting for the next season to come along.
Do Good Works
Our salvation does not come by our good works. We are only saved by faith. But faith without works is dead. And so are we.
Our individual “do good” will look different. Don’t compare yourself to your best friend or favorite Instagram influencer. Just do whatever “good” God puts in front of you for each day. Call someone to bless them. Take food to your local food pantry. Volunteer at church, a local soup kitchen, nursing home, or domestic violence center. The possibilities are endless.
Don’t think too hard about it. You might talk yourself out of it. Just do it.
Fall in Love with Jesus to find Purpose
But don’t do it without Jesus. Don’t simply do just to do. Back to my lonely young mommy days, I’m convinced that season was imperative because that’s when I began to seek Jesus daily through Bible study and worship music. I turned the cartoons off and blasted Twila Paris and Amy Grant. When the baby took a nap, I lit a candle, poured a cup of tea, and worked through a Beth Moore Bible study. Ya’ll, I fell in love with Jesus. I learned to delight in him.
This is the thing about purpose: God has many plans and purposes for us. We don’t want to miss what he has for us today because we’re waiting for that big purpose tomorrow. When we live this way trusting his faithfulness, loving him every day, we can’t help but live our life with purpose.
I feel a prayer coming on . . .
“Dear Lord, please help us get out our own little world and touch others in Your big one. Help us join in Your purposes every day. I pray for joy in the doing. But don’t let us forget that we have to BE with you first. We have to BE filled with you before we can give anything away. We love you. Show us what to do! Thank you Jesus. Guide us Holy Spirit. Amen.”
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Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Featured photo: Chris Lawton
So true, Andy. One of the best ways to help ourselves is to help others. I am going to let this hit the mark today in me Holy Spirit intended. Thank you!
“We don’t want to miss what he has for us today because we’re waiting for that big purpose tomorrow.” How we need to remember that, Andy. Thank you.
Thank you for these good reminders! Timely!