Finding God’s Purpose for your Life

Have you ever wondered as a child of God what does God want to accomplish with your life? Have you struggled with this thought, “am I in the right place, doing the right thing, am I fulfilling Gods purpose for my life?” Well if you have then you are in right company, many of the heroes of faith have also struggled with this. Some of them have asked this existential question quite openly and found answers from God. Some of us has successfully navigated that maze and are finding ourselves in the right place, maximising all the God-given potential for His Glory, some of us are still groping in the dark, uncertain if this is what God has created me for.

As we look at the heroes of faith in the Bible we can see many of them articulating their life’s longing, their desire and their very purpose in their own words.

It was Joseph who said that in spite of the evil that the brothers had intended God had turned it out for Good, He sent me here ahead of you to save lives of many people. Gen 50:20

Moses’s longing was to, “If I have truly pleased you, show me your plans so that I may know you and continue to please you”; “Now please show me your glory”. Exodus 33: 13 & 18.

Joshua made it pretty clear and simple when he said, “as for me and my family we will serve the Lord”. Joshua 24:15b

Samuel the Prophet said’ “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.” 1Sam 12:23

King David captured it beautifully in his Psalm 29:4, “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”

It was Mordecai who summarised it for Queen Esther, “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14b

Job going through the greatest tragedy of his life proclaimed, “As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvellous things without number” Job 5:8-9

Prophet Isaiah summarised it this way, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me” Isaiah 6:8

It was God who articulated it for Prophet Jeremiah when He said, ‘“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,   before you were born I set you apart;   I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

Jesus captured His life’s purpose beautifully in John 6:38, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

Apostle Paul summarised it beautifully in Philippians 3:10, “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

As we reflect on these powerful statements of some of our heroes of faith, it certainly inspires and moves us to think of our life’s purpose here on earth. How will we capture that in our own words, is it clear? Have you tried to articulate it?  God definitely has a purpose for our life. He has plans for us and He made us and put us here on this earth, for such a time as this for a definite purpose. How will we find that out?

I have been on that journey with God and it has not been easy for me to pin it down and come up with a purpose statement for my life and this is what it looks like right now, “To know God and Make Him known by preaching, teaching and developing spiritual leaders”. This has given me clarity on what God wants to accomplish with my life, with the skills, the gifts and the experiences that He has given me.

I would encourage you to make this journey, here are few questions to munch on, the answers to this will help us find God’s purpose for our lives and will help us to come up with a clear purpose statement.

v As you look back at your own life, what are some clear signs of Gods finger prints, His leading in your life and how has that shaped and affected you?

v What do you see as you gifting’s and talents that you excel in and others would agree with you on this? (check with few of your close friends)

v What has been the most repeated, the most often heard message that God has been speaking to you (it can be through the word, your personal quite time or from a servant of God) that is constantly lingering in your mind and it make you restless and uncomfortable? 

v Getting involved in “what” gives you the greatest satisfaction and fulfilment in life that you long to do it again and again? 

v What connects your inner core best with others around you, your dear ones, friends, colleagues and people in general that gives you great Joy? 

v With all that you have discovered about yourself from the above questions how best do you think that you can glorify God with your life? 

v The key here is not trying to find answers to the above questions and coming up with a statement that clearly articulates Gods purpose for our lives but the Key is in waiting upon Him and hearing from the maker on what He wants to do with His marvellous work – that is YOU and Me on whom He is already at work- moulding and shaping it into a masterpiece for His Glory.

     "Now when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep" Acts 13:36. Imagine if this is the epitaph that is written about you and me at the end of it all, wouldn't that be awesome to hear that we had served God's purpose for our lives in our generation.