Exploring Who You Are: A Key To Fulfilling God’s Purpose for Your Life
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Photo by Jonathan borba via unsplash
We all have an innate desire for our lives to matter, and I think most of us believe that we have a purpose and hope to accomplish that purpose. We know the Bible says God has good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and that He has called us to do good works (Ephesians 2:10).
But when it comes to actually understanding what our purpose is, many of us struggle. We do our best to help others and serve God, but we often feel unfulfilled and are left wondering if we’re really doing what we’re meant to do. The whole process of finding our purpose can feel confusing. This was certainly the case for me for many years.
Thankfully, I’ve discovered that when we begin with simply exploring who we actually are, understanding and fulfilling our purpose becomes a lot less complicated.
I love how Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Galatians 6:4-5 reflects this truth. It says, “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that… Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life” (MSG).
For so much of my life, I focused on figuring out what I was supposed to do. But it turns out, I was approaching my purpose backwards. Because, as Peterson’s paraphrase indicates, before we can do our creative best with our life, we first need to explore the unique person God created us to be.
Of course, there’s usually a bit more to understanding our purpose than simple self-awareness. But if you’re struggling to discern and fulfill your purpose, it’s a great place to start.
To help you in the self-exploration process, today I'm sharing an article I wrote for The Joyful Life Magazine that covers six things I’ve found to be helpful in developing a better self-understanding.
You can read the first bit below, then follow the link to read the rest!
As always, you are in my thoughts and prayers, and I’d love to hear from you! You can contact me here or through the comment section below!
In purpose and faith,
Exploring Who You Are: A Key To Fulfilling God’s Purpose for Your Life
When I first realized God was calling me to leave my career as a professional counselor to become a full-time writer, I was elated. I had dreamed of being a writer, but for years it was simply that—a dream. For some reason I didn’t think writing was either practical or possible for me.
So when God helped me see that it was possible and that it was part of His plan for me, I felt like a little girl hoping for a rhinestone necklace for her birthday, only to find that her dad had given her a genuine diamond pendant. The call to write was a gift that exceeded my expectations.
As I embarked on my writing journey, I began exploring more about who God had created me to be. Part of this exploration included my decision to write a purpose statement.
I started by making a list of my interests, gifts, values, and personality traits. Next, I wrote down comments friends and family had made about me, as well as anything I’d ever felt God speak to me about who I am. My goal was to identify what made me me on the deepest level and to articulate what I thought God had designed me to do.
As I attempted to distill what I knew about myself into a short paragraph, it occurred to me that what God was calling me to do was intimately connected to who I am. My call to write wasn’t a random assignment; rather, God called me to be a writer because love of writing is an intrinsic part of my personal DNA.
The realization that my purpose is rooted in who I am led to a second revelation: Because I can express who I am wherever I am, I can live with purpose no matter my life season.
Before, I had thought of purpose as something I was working toward or trying to find. It was something external, like serving as a counselor or writing a book. Certainly, fulfilling our purpose does involve accomplishing specific things God calls us to do.
But I came to see that living a purposeful life is largely about doing my best to share what God has put inside me with whomever is around me and in whatever place or season I find myself. For example, I haven’t written a book yet (though it is something I feel God has called me to do), but I can express my purpose as a writer in other ways. I can write cards, blog posts, articles, devotions, social media posts, and even text messages.
Yes, I have big goals, but I don’t have to wait until I accomplish those goals to walk in my purpose today. I can live intentionally right where I am, even as I work toward my God-given dreams...Click here to continue reading!
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I wrote this post because I’m on a mission to encourage and equip women to live the life of faith, passion, and purpose that we were made for. You can help make a difference by sharing this post with a friend (or friends!) who you think would be encouraged or inspired by it. Thanks!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission, with no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services I believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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