Do you struggle to discover your God-given purpose in life? If so, you’re not alone.
After having devoted my life to fitness for decades, I found myself starting to feel like I was wasting my talents.
I’ll confess, at the time I wasn’t so much in pursuit of my purpose as I was a new career. But in my search, I discovered that my life purpose had less to do with what I did for a living and more about WHY God made me.
We’ve all been created for a unique purpose. After all, you are a workmanship in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). The only catch is that discovering your purpose takes some digging.
So let’s do some work to discover the uniqueness of His masterpiece…you.
In your quest to find your purpose, seek to discover:
Your personality:
You are unique. God knit you together (Psalm 139:13) with intentionality. We have all been given a unique temperament.
Maybe you’re the phlegmatic type, who is super laid back and able to handle yourself in challenging environments.
Maybe you have a choleric temperament, and you make decisions quickly and take charge easily.
Maybe you’re the supine type who just loves to serve and support others. You have a heart that feels deeply and wounds easily.
Maybe your temperament is melancholy; you have trouble expressing yourself but are highly organized and logical.
Or maybe you’re the sanguine type who’s never met a stranger. If there’s breath in your lungs you will use it to talk.
Whatever your temperament, God made you that way for a reason. Understanding how you are wired will also help you understand what you were put here to do.
(If you want to know more about your unique temperament, check out my FREE “What’s My Temperament?” guide to get you started.)
Your gifts:
Have you ever wondered why some people are gifted to do things that others can’t? I have. It’s always intrigued me why music comes naturally for some and others find their joy in computer programming. That’s because God has gifted each of us differently (1 Peter 4:10-11).
The two biggest mistakes I see people making with their gifts are using them only for their own pleasure, or downplaying their gifts so that God doesn’t get the opportunity to be glorified through them.
Take the time to discover and develop your gifts. God can use them in mighty ways. In fact, He often uses the least likely to do the almighty.
Your desires:
Why do we always go to extremes? We are either selfishly looking to meet our own desires or we’re suppressing them and pretending they don’t exist. Neither is scriptural. Psalm 37:4 says: “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” This means that if you submit yourself to God, He will give you the desires of your heart. The best thing you can do is to begin to reawaken the dreams and desires that lie within you, because it is likely part of your God-given purpose.
In my coaching program, I walk my clients through an enlightening process that begins with understanding each of these three vital areas. What amazes me most is this journey always ends up revealing way more than just my clients’ purpose.
Whatever your purpose reveals, with God by your side, it is absolutely possible for you to attain it. Remember to commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans (Proverbs 16:3).
To find out more about how to develop your purpose statement and walk your God-given path, pick up a copy of my new book, Make it Matter- A Roadmap to Living a Life of Purpose. And get ready for a journey. It can be the most exciting ride of your life.
